Wolff honest about signing Verstappen: 'There was never a plan'
F1 News
- Cas van de Kleut
Toto Wolff’s interest in Max Verstappen is no secret. Last year, the Mercedes team boss openly expressed his desire to have the Dutchman join his team. However, in an interview with Auto, Motor und Sport, Wolff clarified that while he admired Verstappen’s talent, there was never a concrete plan in place to bring the four-time world champion to Mercedes. Despite his admiration, Wolff explained that the idea never materialised into any serious negotiations.
At the start of last season, when chaos erupted at Red Bull Racing, it was uncertain whether Max Verstappen would remain with the team. Toto Wolff saw an opportunity amid the turmoil within Red Bull. He made several statements expressing his desire to have Verstappen join Mercedes, especially after it was revealed that Lewis Hamilton would be moving to Ferrari. Wolff’s comments hinted at his interest in capitalising on the situation, although the possibility of Verstappen leaving Red Bull never came to fruition.
Wolff honest: 'There was never a plan'
"There was never a plan [to sign him]. We always talked to each other and kept the possibility of communication open. At one point he [Verstappen] said he wanted to stay where he was because that felt right for him. And I said we were going for Kimi [Antonelli] because that felt right for us. We will now see where it will take us."
In his end-of-year interview with Viaplay, Max Verstappen confirmed that there had indeed been discussions with Toto Wolff and Mercedes. He described the talks as constructive, with both sides being open and honest throughout. However, despite these conversations, Verstappen ultimately chose to remain loyal to Red Bull Racing, explaining that he feels at home with the team and is committed to their continued success.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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