Verstappen remains Mercedes' dream candidate: How Wolff plays the poker game

Anyone who listened to Toto Wolff, the Mercedes F1 team's boss, on this Friday afternoon can only conclude that the answer to that question is a resounding 'yes'. Although on one hand the Austrian indicates he is extremely satisfied with his current drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli (and would like to extend their contracts), he also admits to keeping all options open.

Read: the Max Verstappen option. Just like a year ago, Wolff is not willing to commit to two drivers early in the season, if there's a chance - however small - that the best F1 driver at the moment could join his team. Therefore, Wolff never gives his full commitment to his current drivers, without mentioning Verstappen's name.

"And at the moment, clearly, you need to explore what's happening in the future, but it doesn't change anything of what I said before about George, about Kimi, about the line-up that I'm extremely happy of having," said Wolff.

It was evident that Wolff had thoroughly considered what he would say and especially in which terms beforehand. But after a question from GPblog, he seemed to hesitate for a moment. First, there was a slight smile, then a silence and finally, the seasoned team boss answered the question: When is the deadline for Verstappen to say 'yes' or 'no' to Mercedes, and if affirmative, would that mean Antonelli or Russell has to make way?

"You make it sound like that we have been asking when do you want to join and what are the terms", Wolff responded. "That's not how it is and how it works. I want to just have the conversations behind closed doors, not town halls."

It's Toto Wolff to a T; experienced as he is in Formula 1. Everyone got confirmation again this Friday in Austria that he would like to tie Max Verstappen to his racing stable, without explicitly saying so, and without giving Russell and Antonelli a vote of no confidence.

This seems to be the right approach, as there is currently no sign that the four-time world champion is considering leaving Red Bull Racing after this season. A day earlier during the press conference, the Dutchman even reacted extremely irritated to the suggestion that he might move. Indeed, and as this website has been reporting for a while, Verstappen really wants to stay with Red Bull.

So, why the explorations, as Wolff calls them? You simply can never be one hundred percent sure what the future holds. Raymond Vermeulen would be a poor manager for Verstappen if he did not keep in conversation with everyone on the F1 grid just in case his client wants something different - for whatever reason.

Wolff knows this, and with his flattery, the team boss wants to make sure that if Verstappen says goodbye to Red Bull, his Mercedes team will be the first choice for the next destination.