Toto Wolff has confirmed Mercedes is exploring the possibility of signing Max Verstappen in the future, but insists it is not impacting ongoing contract talks with George Russell for 2026.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been keen on having Max Verstappen on his team, which is delaying George Russell's contract extension.

Toto Wolff has insisted that George Russell remains at the “top of the list” to race for Mercedes in the F1 2026 season despite the team’s interest in Max Verstappen. It comes after Russell claimed that negotiations between Mercedes and Verstappen are “ongoing” with a view to an agreement for next season.