Verstappen is No. 1 target for Mercedes, says Wolff

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has acknowledged that his top choice to replace the departing Lewis Hamilton is the current Formula 1 world champion, Max Verstappen.

From 2025 onwards, the 39-year-old Hamilton, who has clinched six world titles as a Mercedes driver, will be racing for Ferrari. This leaves a vacant seat at the Mercedes team alongside Briton George Russell.

“We have an available position, which is the only one among the leading teams. This position will remain the only one unless Max decides to leave Red Bull,” Wolff said in an interview with Fox Sports Australia.

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“Yes, Max is my choice to replace Lewis. You can see his performance for yourself. But that doesn’t mean we can’t consider other drivers. We have various options that are quite interesting. Some of the drivers are very young and talented, but there is also room for more experienced racers,” Wolff added.

He revealed that the name of George Russell’s teammate for the next season will likely be announced towards the end of summer, so in the coming weeks and months, Wolff will be “monitoring the market.”

The 26-year-old Verstappen has secured the last three Formula 1 world titles with the Red Bull team and is determined to chase his fourth. In his still-young career, he has an impressive record of 100 podium finishes and 56 victories.