Wolff continues to believe in Verstappen's arrival: 'Everyone is waiting for him'

Once again it became clear in Shanghai: if Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen remain immune from technical problems, this combination will be unbeatable in Formula 1. In that light, there would be no reason for Verstappen to leave Red Bull after the current season and switch to Mercedes. Yet the German team's Toto Wolff has by no means given up hope of the Dutchman becoming Lewis Hamilton's successor.

After the Chinese Grand Prix, Wolff made it clear - not for the first time - that he still hopes Verstappen will come to Mercedes: "When you look at it from the most rational point of view, you can say, that's the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver. But I don't think that this is the only reason you stay where you are. I think for, let's say, simple minds, that might be the only reason why you stay in a car and that's it. But maybe there's more depth to some people that consider other factors too. And I think that Max has that. I don't think it's a matter of convincing. I think that Max knows motor racing better than anyone. And he will take decisions that he feels are good for him. And I think a few factors play a role. But he's the one that's going to trigger some more domino stones to fall in afterwards. But everybody's waiting what he's going to do."

'If I were Max, I'd stay at Red Bull'

Wolff was then asked how he assesses the Dutchman's chances of a switch to his team? "If I was Max, I would stay at Red Bull in 2025. But I'm not Max. I'm really bad at selling, actually. Because it's the quickest car. But there's other factors."

Andrea Kimi Antonelli and - now - Carlos Sainz - are also options for Mercedes. Who is on pole is clear: Max Verstappen. Only, how real is that really? "If I say this, I might f*** up my whole strategy", Wolff concluded.