Mercedes explain Wolff's 'slip of the tongue' about drivers: 'Hypothetical'

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff is at peace with the idea of Max Verstappen not joining Mercedes' team next year. However, the team principal does hope - and suspect - he will still work with the Dutchman in the future. Everything points to Andrea Kimi Antonelli becoming George Russell's new teammate next year - including a 'slip of the tongue' from Wolff himself. However, Mercedes denies that the 17-year-old talent is already a certainty for 2025.

Antonelli, who celebrates his 18th birthday on the day of the Dutch Grand Prix, is the leading candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton after the Briton leaves for Ferrari. Officially, however, nothing has been confirmed yet, despite a 'slip of the tongue' from Wolff when speaking to the media at Circuit Zandvoort.

"The two drivers in our car next year have our full support. I want to make it work with George and Kimi," the Mercedes team principal is quoted as saying by De Telegraaf. With this, Wolff seems to inadvertently give away the line-up for the 2025 Formula 1 season, but there is no confirmation yet, according to Mercedes.

Asked by GPblog, Mercedes states that the team principal was only speaking hypothetically about supporting the two F1 drivers next year - whoever they may be. Wolff would therefore simply have responded to queries about next year's drivers, who would mainly be referred to by the media as 'George and Kimi'.

Wolff waited a long time before he was ready to give up on Verstappen for next year, but certainly does not do so for the future. "Nor can I say that the door is closed for Max for 2026 or beyond," said the Austrian. "We want to keep all options open and that will also apply to him, his father Jos and his manager Raymond Vermeulen."

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