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Mercedes squad main and CEO Toto Wolff has dropped a important update regarding their operator line-up concern successful 2026 arsenic Max Verstappen continues to beryllium linked with a determination to the F1 team.
Verstappen, who presently sits 3rd successful the driver's standings up of this weekend's Grand Prix successful Belgium, has chopped a frustrated fig of precocious arsenic helium continues to conflict against the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
As a result, the 27-year-old has been heavy linked with a determination distant from Red Bull.
The thought of Verstappen linking up with Toto Wolff has lone accrued with a deficiency of question erstwhile it comes to caller deals for Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
Wolff, of course, publically pursued Verstappen until halfway done past season, erstwhile the Dutchman decided to recommit to Red Bull.
Wolff and Verstappen pictured successful 2014. Image credit: Getty
But contempt him being the astir evident solution for Mercedes, it appears Wolff has played down a determination for Verstappen aft helium touched connected their operator concern during a caller interview.
Speaking to Austrian ORF, arsenic per GPBlog, Wolff said: “The absorption we privation to instrumentality is to proceed with George and Kimi. That's our apical priority. Everyone is informed."
He besides said determination volition beryllium "no large surprises" regarding Mercedes' operator line-up adjacent year.
“It's not conscionable astir the squad making a decision," Wolf added. "The drivers besides request to cognize wherever they stand. We person ever tried to instrumentality to this rule. And we volition bash it again now."
Insider reveals what he's heard astir Max Verstappen's future
For weeks now, rumours of Verstappen and a imaginable power to Mercedes person been rife. Viaplay commentator Nelson Valkenburg provided new penetration into the concern connected a caller occurrence of the Nailing the Apex podcast.
"Red Bull's successful a hard spot here, due to the fact that they person a contract, they cannot renegotiate," said Valkenburg.
"The lone happening they request to beryllium to Verstappen is that they tin physique a car that helium tin go a champion with adjacent year. And that's wherever the uncertainty is."
He added: "And implicit the past fewer years, contention by contention by race, Verstappen seems to person mislaid assurance successful the method team, the plan squad wrong Red Bull. Not the contention team, not the radical trying to get the astir retired of the car, but truly the plan team."
Max Verstappen has been linked with a determination to Mercedes amid reports of unhappiness astatine Red Bull. Image credit: Getty
Valkenburg besides revealed that the concern with Verstappen could go adjacent clearer successful the coming days. "They're getting person and closer. And we've been proceeding rumblings that we mightiness person to hole for immoderate benignant of property lawsuit successful Spa," helium continued.
"But that's precise much... it is truthful unconfirmed. It's 1 of those rumours that I'll hold and see."
