Toto Wolff wary of Max Verstappen after Red Bull U-turn

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has admitted that he is keeping a close eye on Max Verstappen after a recent U-turn from the Red Bull star.

The Dutchman has secured four consecutive drivers' championship victories with Red Bull in the last four years but after the team displayed a significant drop in form at the start of the season, the paddock pretty much ruled out Verstappen's chances of retaining the title.

This didn't harm Wolff's view of the 28-year-old however, with rumours running wild over the summer break that the pair had had talks about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes in the future.

Whilst Wolff has failed to officially confirm his driver lineup of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for next season, Verstappen has confirmed that he will remain with Red Bull for 2026.

As next year welcomes a new era of regulations in the sport, many believe Verstappen will then reassess the competitive order, with Mercedes tipped to be a strong contender.

Mercedes boss assesses Verstappen title hopes

The Silver Arrows have shown signs of greatness this season as well, with Russell putting in a commanding drive at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, claiming pole position on Saturday and bringing home the victory on Sunday.

Following the race at Marina Bay, McLaren were crowned as constructors' champions for the second year in a row, with runner-up now the best Mercedes can hope for.

But fans will be drawn in for the remaining six rounds of the season by the concept that Verstappen could still claim a fifth title if he is able to catch up to the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the drivers' standings.

Speaking prior to the Singapore GP, Wolff gave his take on the Dutchman’s chances of catching up, after Verstappen picked up back-to-back victories in Monza and Baku at the two previous rounds.

“I think you always need to stay feet on the ground and humble,” Wolff said.

“He’s had a good run, the car is good, and Max Verstappen, you always need to be wary of what he can achieve, especially if he’s seeing that it’s actually back on the cards.

“It’s a long shot. Things need to work in his favour, but you can see [with] a DNF for the championship leader and Max scoring 25 points, it can swing quickly.”

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