Max Verstappen: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admits to 'mistake' in 'destabilising' pursuit of Red Bull driver

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has admitted he made a "mistake" as his attempts to sign Max Verstappen earlier this year became "destabilising" for the team.

For a second successive year, Wolff publicly admitted he was trying to sign the four-time world champion from Red Bull, with his 2025 attempts revealed by Mercedes driver George Russell, who said in June that the situation was delaying his own contract from being extended.

Verstappen confirmed in late July that he would stay with Red Bull for at least another season but was then photographed socialising with Wolff on the Austrian's yacht in Sardinia during the sport's summer break in August.

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Mercedes finally announced new contracts for Russell and his team-mate Kimi Antonelli last week ahead of the United States Grand Prix, where Wolff spoke to Sky Sports F1 about the situation.

"The truth is that you've got to learn from the mistake," Wolff said. "There wasn't any on purpose flirting, it's just a coincidence.

"It was clear that you need to have that conversation and then we ended up in the same place in the summer, which obviously doesn't look good and is destabilising for everyone.

"But that's the past now. Everything is cleared, contracts are signed, and we move forward."

Wolff was asked during his post-race briefing in Austin on Sunday - after Verstappen had completed a Sprint and grand prix double to continue his surge back into title contention - to clarify his earlier remarks, and appeared to retract his "mistake" description.

He said: "Sometimes you need to be sensitive to how things are being portrayed. There were coincidences, and I think, it's not that it was a mistake, I know I said it was a mistake, but it's more like how would a driver, how would a team principal perceive lots of interaction with a competitor?

"But then, we know each other well, we respect each other, we have a certain degree of friendship among many of us."

'We don't want to create any Russell-Verstappen pairing rumours'

The fact that Russell and Antonelli were both only officially confirmed for 2026 means speculation over a Verstappen switch to Mercedes in 2027 remains.

And with Russell's contract understood to stretch over multiple years, the more likely pairing should Verstappen be convinced to join Mercedes would appear to be with the Brit, as opposed to Antonelli.

Asked about the details of Russell's contract, Wolff said: "I think you need stability and a rolling a one-year contract is never good for anyone.

"But without going into the detail, there are certain clauses that are related to it, but we want to give the driver the feeling, and also the team, that this is the way we're going forward, it's a line-up that we're very happy with, the balance is good."

Pressed on the possibility of a future Russell-Verstappen pairing, Wolff added: "Certainly good entertainment for everyone, but we don't want to create any rumours here.

"Kimi and George is what we want to do in the future and going forward, and it's a good line-up."

Formula 1's thrilling title race heads continues at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

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