All the alarm bells are ringing again in Formula 1 after Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff once again coincided on their summer vacations, once again in Sardinia. The difference with the previous encounter is that it was only known that they had coincided in the same place, and that there had been no meeting. However, this time there are images of the two together, and not just anywhere, but on the private yacht of the Mercedes boss, adding fuel to the fire.
Verstappen and Wolff, summering together
Now we’ll see what excuse Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff come up with when F1 resumes, because a few weeks ago, when they were seen together, they simply said that they had been vacationing in the same place, but that didn’t mean they had seen each other or talked about the future. But now they will have to find a better excuse to explain how the most important driver on the current grid spends the day on the boat of the competition boss, and that it does not mean they are planning the future.
Verstappen close to Mercedes
Although Max Verstappen confirmed after the alleged first meeting that he would continue with Red Bull in 2026, and after Toto Wolff did the same with his two current drivers, this meeting has once again raised all kinds of speculation, especially because at Mercedes, there is a lot of talk but little action, because Russell’s renewal is still on hold, among other reasons, because they are offering him a 1+1 contract, which means they could dump him at the end of next season. That’s what counts, but there is no certainty, nor is it known whether there is an offer to renew Russell, nor is it known whether he has rejected it.
What is known is that Toto Wolff has never closed the door on Max Verstappen, even though he has wanted to imply that. He has always left a crack open in case Max comes knocking, so that he only has to push it open.
A duo that scares F1
But if we go by logic and what both have said, the logical thing would be for Verstappen to stay at Red Bull for at least another year. He could also be free next year, although he has a contract until 2028, and this would allow him to see which team can really aspire to the title after a first season with the new regulations.
The favorite right now to dominate the new era of motorsport is Mercedes, and Max could wait a year to see how things pan out or make the leap now. Whatever his decision, the union between team and driver could mean another period of dominance in F1 for the German team, similar to the one it enjoyed with Lewis Hamilton’s six championships and Nico Rosberg’s one.
F1 is a world full of rumors that fly around the paddock. The meetings between Toto Wolff and Verstappen were an open secret, but these images published by the Italian press reveal that the two are plotting something for the future of F1. We don’t know if it’s for the upcoming season or the next one, but it seems more evident than ever that their paths will cross at some point. In the meantime, Russell will have to wait, because for now, he doesn’t know which team he will be driving for next season, and although he will presumably have a seat, in the world of F1 we have seen many things and anything is possible.