Toto Wolff concedes he would "love" to have F1 world champion Max Verstappen at Mercedes.
Verstappen’s future has been the subject of intense speculation amid reports of a rift within the Red Bull camp in the wake of the controversy surrounding under-fire team principal Christian Horner. After Friday qualifying at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the three-time world champion ramped up the pressure on Red Bull by suggesting he could quit the team if Helmut Marko was let go when uncertainty around the 80-year-old Austrian’s position emerged.
Despite the latest developments, Wolff confessed Mercedes are interested in Verstappen as the team searches for a replacement for seven-time world champion Hamilton, who will leave for Ferrari in 2025. "I would love to have him . But first we need to sort out our car. We owe it to our drivers George and Lewis to improve the car and give them equipment that is good before dreaming about the future next year,” Wolff said. "I think we are going to wait on a decision. We have a few interesting options. The more we are able to assess how the season pans out, young drivers, slightly older ones, that's not going to be a decision we want to take in the next few weeks, it's rather a few months depending on where it goes.” Wolff was asked if Verstappen is Mercedes’ number one target to replace Hamilton, to which he replied:"This is a decision that Max needs to take and there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn't do handstands to have him in the car.” Horner, who was cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation into accusations of inappropriate behaviour made against him by a now-suspended female colleague, insisted there isHe also stressed earlier in the weekend he was “certain” that Verstappen would see out his contract with Red Bull, which runs until the end of 2028, despite a heated exchange with the Dutchman's father, Jos, at the season-opener in Bahrain.Max Verstappen makes “important to have peace” point after Helmut Marko resolution ‘Like I was in a different category’ - Lewis Hamilton's damning Mercedes verdict as he urges “big changes”
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