Mercedes CEO, Wolff, leaves open door for Verstappen: "As it goes..."

George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are currently under contract by Mercedes, however, their binds to the German team expire at end of the current year. Have there been talks with Verstappen?

"We didn’t have any conversations. At the moment, where it is with George and Kimi, there’s no doubt to question that set up for the future, as it goes," Wolff told The Athletic.

"As it goes," because of Antonelli's and Russell's form, or because Verstappen's departure from the Austrian team is not yet written in stone? For Wolff it's the first scenario, he added: “[Russell is in his prime, or at the beginning of his prime, clearly the senior driver here in the team that delivers, that performs, that says the right things. And (he) has taken over that role from Lewis.”

As far as the noise around the contract talks that are yet to take place between Russell and Wolff, the Austrian team principal echoed his driver's words: “We will pick those talks up once we’re in the European season, there’s no stress.”

He then set the summer break as the ideal time to sit an hold the much talked about lack of contractual talks. Again, saying "as it is at the moment." Funnily enough a major Verstappen performance clause that would trigger his exit from Red Bull may also become activated in the summer.