Toto Wolff kicked off the Zandvoort press briefing by joking about Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract and the flood of AI‑deepfaked images circulating online.
During the session, the Mercedes team principal remembered past Zandvoort anecdotes—Kimi Antonelli’s promotion two years earlier and the last year’s AI clip scandal—and then switched rows to Verstappen’s move to Red Bull.
Verstappen’s Red Bull Deal: A Crossroads for Mercedes
Wolff said the possibility of a Verstappen‑Mercedes stint was higher last year than it feels now, as the Red Bull contract crystallised early spring. He recalled a conversation with Motorsport.com, clarifying that the two drivers’ paths “already cross” in GT racing, not Formula One.
The duo announced a joint GT‑3 effort a year and a half back, and Wolff highlighted that Red Bull had permitted Mercedes to run a GT3 car for Max, a development he described as “a long‑shot” that turned into success.
From the 24‑Hour Sprint to the Nürburgring’s Nurburgring Legacy
Wolff turned to “hero races” at the Nordschleife, praising the endurance‑style realism of stone‑wall corners, gravel traps, and the varied weather conditions absent from the flat run‑off of F1 circuits. He added a tongue‑in‑cheek reference to the Dacia Logan of Olli’s Garage Racing, urging Mercedes to invite the crew to an F1 Grand Prix.
Wolff pictured Max behind the wheel of a Winward Mercedes‑AMG GT3, racing a field of 150 and beyond, on day or night, in fog, rain and ice.
Future Intersections: Who Drives Where?
Probing whether Verstappen could again team up with Mercedes, Wolff remained hesitant. He emphasized the unpredictability of the driver market, suggesting future collaborations might occur in karting, GT racing, or some future project rather than an F1 seat.
Wolff also seized the moment to highlight Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes’ emerging star, indicating that a Max‑Mercedes F1 entry is not essential for the team’s upward trajectory.
Rule‑Set Flexibility for Drivers
When asked if a new‑team driver might retain the same latitude in side projects, Wolff said every team differs. He stressed the need to build a framework that extracts “the best performance” while safeguarding well‑being, a priority he affirms.
He concluded that the “mindset” remains open, but the specific future pathway—be it in karting, GT racing, F1, or another joint venture—remains uncertain.
Mercedes, Wolff and Verstappen now find their roads intersecting in endurance events, but the tripabel to an F1 seat stays on hold, awaiting sort‑of‑prediction of the next few seasons’ contractual playbook.
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