Sep.3 (GMM) Toto Wolff has moved to finally end speculation about Mercedes’ 2026 lineup, insisting both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will remain in silver.
With Max Verstappen definitely set to stay at Red Bull at least through 2026, the uncertainty around Brackley’s cockpits appears to have faded. But Russell has been linked with holding out for more than a single-year renewal.
Wolff, however, says the holdup is trivial. In TZ newspaper, the Austrian explained: “The travel and marketing days need to be optimised. Like how many hours should be invested. We want the drivers to perform optimally, and I think we’ve put a lot of pressure on both of them with marketing and media activities.
“To some extent, we’re rethinking that.”
The Mercedes boss also revealed why talks stalled during the summer shutdown. Wolff even spent time in Sardinia with Verstappen, but he explained: “Both George and I felt we needed to just get out of each other’s face for a while.”
Now, discussions are back on track – though fans shouldn’t expect fireworks this weekend. Asked if Monza would bring an official announcement, Wolff replied: “No.
“We will simply point out that we have signed the agreement. But the drivers will remain the same. There will be no need to even make a formal announcement about the contract renewal.
“We race with this mindset, so I’ve always said there won’t be any big news.”
That includes Antonelli, despite heavy scrutiny of his rookie season. Initially just 18, replacing Lewis Hamilton has proved daunting, with Jacques Villeneuve warning: “F1 is not a school. He is not improving step by step like (Gabriel) Bortoleto did.
“With these performances, he wouldn’t be in the car at Red Bull anymore.”
Fellow former F1 race winner Ralf Schumacher agreed: “He’s certainly not a new Max Verstappen.”
But Wolff remains firmly supportive – and so does F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“He needs to understand that F1 is an environment where you grow up quickly,” said Domenicali. “There are months that feel like years, days that feel like months, and not everything can go as planned for someone his age.
“Next season I see him as a key player – he’ll be much more aware.”
Domenicali added: “Kimi is my daughter’s age. I’ve known him since he was a child. Having his family by his side will help him. I still think he could have an extraordinary career.”
Even Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur cut the youngster some slack after Antonelli clattered into Charles Leclerc at Zandvoort.
“He came to us (to apologise) but Charles wasn’t there, so he found me,” Vasseur revealed. “I appreciated his behaviour. To overtake there, you have to take risks, and he did it wrong.”
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