Max Verstappen has been linked with a Red Bull exit with Aston Martin interested in the four-time F1 champion and Mercedes another team which has had interest in the past
Toto Wolff said he has had no contact with Max Verstappen amid continuous speculation over his future. The Dutchman continues to be linked with a Red Bull exit amid their performance struggles and exit clauses understood to be in his contract, which runs until 2028.
Aston Martin are the ones said to be readying a record-breaking contract offer worth £225million over three years. Mercedes have also been heavily linked with Verstappen in recent times, but team boss Wolff insists he does not want to “flirt” with drivers of other teams.
“I’m super happy with the line-up we have, I couldn’t wish for anything better,” said the Austrian “Max is at Red Bull, we haven’t had a conversation, we are continuing our trajectory.”
George Russell is their new team leader after Lewis Hamilton left for rivals Ferrari and has started the season with three podiums from four races. Rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli has also impressed, scoring 30 points and sits sixth in the championship ahead of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Wolff is delighted with the Brit in particular and said: “George is on Max’s level. He’s doing a top job. He was a little bit always, I wouldn’t say underrated, but people talked about Lewis or Max. And now you can see he’s delivering.”
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Wolff’s comments come after one of his closest allies in the Formula 1 paddock suggested there are reasons why the Austrian should resist any temptation he may feel to offer a contract to Verstappen, should the four-time champion become available.
“I think there is more performance to be added through Max,” said James Vowles, the team principal at Williams who used to be Wolff’s strategy chief at Mercedes. “I don’t think anyone in the room would deny that he is extraordinary in what he can do.
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“And Japan [when Verstappen qualified on pole and won the race in an underperformant Red Bull car] was, for me, jaw-dropping. Well done to him – but he comes with a lot of downsides as well that we have to acknowledge.
“I think what Mercedes does have is a great culture with two drivers that are delivering near to the peak of the car, and with one that’s on the way up. So I personally don’t think that’s a place for him.”
Verstappen has also had run-ins with Russell in the past and Vowles does not believe they would be compatible team-mates. He added: “I don’t think so – I think they’re two very different characters. I’m not Toto, but I think he’s got a really good driver line-up for the future.
“I think with Kimi – I’m biased because I worked with him for a long period of time – if you just look at the steps he is making in qualifying, he’s making steps every single week and he’s only driven effectively four Grand Prix races. He’s on a good pathway to being very, very competitive, so you keep investing in that, and George is delivering.”