Toto Wolff open to bringing Verstappen to Mercedes as Norris on...

Toto Wolff open to bringing Verstappen to Mercedes as Norris on…read more.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff remains open to the possibility of bringing reigning world champion Max Verstappen to the team, even as they confirmed Kimi Antonelli, an 18-year-old junior driver, to replace Lewis Hamilton starting in 2025. The announcement came during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, where McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed pole position for the race.

Antonelli, who will partner George Russell next season, has signed a multi-year deal with Mercedes. However, Wolff revealed that the communication channel with Verstappen, with whom he had discussions earlier this year, is still active. The Mercedes boss admitted that Verstappen was considered as an option before they finalized Antonelli’s deal.

“We were considering other options, and the idea of Max couldn’t be completely ruled out, especially after what happened at Red Bull,” Wolff said. He hinted that Antonelli’s contract includes “complicated” options, suggesting flexibility in their driver lineup strategy. While Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, his deal reportedly includes performance-related exit clauses, which could allow him to explore other opportunities.

Wolff emphasized that the Russell-Antonelli partnership is the focus for the team for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. However, he left the door open for future changes, acknowledging that he would be transparent with his drivers if the situation with Verstappen evolves. “This is a pressure cooker environment,” Wolff said. “Our focus is on George and Kimi, but if any ‘flirting’ with other drivers happens, they will know about it.”

On the track, Norris stole the spotlight at the Monza circuit, securing pole position for McLaren. His impressive performance provides him with a prime opportunity to challenge Verstappen’s championship lead. Verstappen, who has dominated much of the season, could only manage seventh on the grid, struggling with grip and balance issues. This marked his worst qualifying performance of the year, leaving the door open for Norris to close the 70-point gap in the championship standings.

Norris, who won the previous race in Zandvoort, recognized the significance of this opportunity. “It’s a good chance for us,” he said, noting that Verstappen’s pace in qualifying was uncharacteristically off. Despite setting the fastest time of 1 minute 19.327 seconds, Norris expressed slight disappointment, believing he could have performed even better. However, his time was more than enough to secure pole, ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, who qualified second, and Mercedes’ George Russell in third.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz qualified fourth and fifth, respectively, with Hamilton in sixth. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Pérez, was eighth, followed by Williams’ Alex Albon in ninth, and Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg completing the top ten.

For McLaren, Norris’ start in the race will be crucial, as the team continues to work on addressing issues with his race starts. With a fast car and a strong qualifying performance, Norris has the opportunity to capitalize on Red Bull’s struggles and put pressure on Verstappen as the season heads into its final stretch.