Max Verstappen remains ‘Mercedes family’, jokes Toto Wolff after Red Bull deal

Toto Wolff has taunted Red Bull after Max Verstappen committed his Formula 1 future to the Milton Keynes team until the end of 2030.

The new agreement, announced ahead of Verstappen’s home Dutch Grand Prix, adds two years to the deal he already held. It also appears to draw a line under persistent speculation about a future move away from Red Bull, with Mercedes and McLaren among the teams previously linked to the four-time world champion.

Mercedes team principal Wolff had been open about his admiration for Verstappen when his own team was assessing its options following Lewis Hamilton’s departure. Mercedes ultimately chose to promote Andrea Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell, while Verstappen confirmed last summer that he would remain at Red Bull for 2026.

Despite the F1 door now looking firmly closed for the foreseeable future, Wolff suggested Verstappen has not entirely escaped the Mercedes orbit. The Dutchman has expanded his interests beyond grand prix racing and is expected to continue competing in GT3 machinery.

Speaking to Viaplay, Wolff joked: “We have the best of him, he’s driving our Mercedes on the really important races.” He specifically referenced the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where Verstappen has raced outside Formula 1, before adding: “So he’s staying in the family.”

The comment underlined the unusual relationship between the two parties. Red Bull have secured their star driver for the long term, yet Verstappen’s endurance racing ambitions mean he may still be seen behind the wheel of Mercedes machinery away from the F1 paddock.

Wolff also offered a light-hearted response when asked about the Red Bull extension itself, pointing to Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen and saying he was sure the Dutchman’s representative had done “a very good job”.

Verstappen, meanwhile, played down the idea that he had been close to joining a rival. Asked whether a transfer had been possible, he said he had been nearer to stepping away from Formula 1 altogether than changing teams. When questioned further about potential offers, he dismissed their relevance.

The timing of the announcement gives Red Bull clarity around its central figure as the paddock gathers at Zandvoort. Verstappen begins his home race weekend seventh on the grid, but his longer-term future is no longer a source of uncertainty.

For Mercedes, Wolff’s quip may have been tongue-in-cheek. Still, it ensures Verstappen’s name remains connected to the Silver Arrows—even if only in GT3.