Toto Wolff will try again to get Max Verstappen in 2026, believes Nico Rosberg – so which driver will have a tough time in 2025?
Will 2025 be a shootout between George Russell and youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Both are regarded as great talents and the future of Mercedes, but there may only be room for one of them in the team in 2026. Because head of motorsport Toto Wolff has not yet ticked off the dream of Max Verstappen, believes Nico Rosberg
“He will try again in 2026 because giving up is not in Toto’s vocabulary,” says the former Mercedes driver on Sky. He is convinced: “If Max becomes available – and I think that is a possibility – then it will be a shootout between George and Kimi next year.”
Wolff had already tried to lure the three-time world champion to Brackley for 2025. A premature departure of Verstappen from Red Bull seemed quite conceivable after the internal disputes surrounding team boss Christian Horner. However, Verstappen is still driving for Red Bull.
However, Red Bull’s biggest argument is currently gone: until now, it seemed as if the world championship title was only a formality due to the big lead, but McLaren has now overtaken the Bulls – and Mercedes at least no longer seems to be a step backwards. The Silver Arrows have won three times since Verstappen’s last victory.
If Verstappen really does make the leap to Mercedes for 2026, then Russell in particular will be under pressure, believes Rosberg. “He has everything to lose,” he says. “He’s the one who should be at the front within the team, because Kimi is 18, completely new, and is in a high-pressure situation. So it’s not an easy situation for George.”
Former driver Martin Brundle would also agree: “Toto has personally invested a lot in Kimi, and when he makes these offers to Max, George will always look over his shoulders and wonder where he stands.”
Brundle is of the opinion that Mercedes no longer necessarily needs Verstappen now that the team is on the upswing again. “If you have a future-proof pairing with George and Antonelli and they get the job done, then you don’t need to spend more than 50 million on another driver,” he says.
