Toto Wolff has confirmed that Mercedes plans to continue with its duo George Russell/Kimi Antonelli in 2027, while once again leaving the door open to a future arrival of Max Verstappen.
Read more Max Verstappen explains his decisive overtake on Hamilton
Having had an exceptional start to the season, Antonelli has even exceeded Mercedes’ expectations by taking the lead in the world championship at only 19 years old.
“I think this boy is simply very talented at assimilating the team’s feedback and immediately putting it into practice,” Wolff said to Sky Deutschland on the sidelines of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Russell still supported
Third in the championship, George Russell has experienced several technical problems in recent weeks, but the Mercedes boss assures that this does not call into question his place in the team.
Wolff thus confirmed that Mercedes plans to keep its current duo next season. However, he did not close the door to a future recruitment of Max Verstappen: “We are not afraid to one day have Max and Kimi in the same team,” the Austrian stated.
This statement shows that the four-time world champion remains a long-term target for Mercedes, despite the recent more relaxed statements from the Dutchman regarding his future at Red Bull. It is known that Wolff maintains cordial relations with Jos Verstappen (photo above), which explains why contact has never been broken.
Read more Red Bull sends a strong signal about Hadjar’s future looking towards 2027
Adaptation difficulties to the 2026 rules
The Mercedes boss also addressed the difficulties encountered by some drivers with the new 2026 technical regulations, particularly regarding the interaction between driving and electric energy management.
“Some drivers say they enjoy these new cars,” he explained. Others believe you just have to learn how to exploit them. Others say: ‘We want to get back to the old races. Full throttle until braking, and the one who brakes the latest wins.'”
However, he believes that the current cars bring a new strategic dimension: “The interesting novelty lies in how you choose to deploy the battery’s energy.”
While Mercedes continues to rely on Russell and Antonelli in the short term, Wolff’s statements confirm that the idea of one day pairing Verstappen with the young Italian prodigy has not yet been abandoned.
Read more Carlos Sainz responds curtly to Piastri after their clash