Is Mercedes waiting for Verstappen? 'Decision will not come in weeks'
General
Mercedes is looking for a driver for next season. Lewis Hamilton is moving to Ferrari and so Toto Wolff must - unexpectedly - sign a new teammate for George Russell. The names of Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have been dropped several times in recent weeks, but Sebastian Vettel was also recently linked to 'The Silver Arrows'. Wolff does not rule out Vettel's arrival, but also states that it will be some time before a knot is tied.
Vettel revealed last week that he had spoken to Wolff, although it was not so much about a seat. Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday in Japan that the four-time world champion is a "great option" to replace him. George Russell would also welcome Vettel's arrival, but where does Wolff stand on it?
"I think his track record is phenomenal," insists the Austrian team principall when asked if the 36-year-old German is on his list. "And sometimes maybe taking a break is also good to re-evaluate what's important for you. And you find your motivation. As I said before, I think we haven't taken the decision yet. And it's not something that we plan to do in the next few weeks." Wolff previously revealed that he would prefer Verstappen to be Hamilton's successor, but it seems to be some time yet whether the reigning world champion's arrival is actually feasible.
Mercedes keep an eye on market
The 52-year-old Wolff continued, "I know that the driver market is very dynamic. Some of the really good guys, they are about to sign for some of the other teams. And we want to continue to have these discussions and keep the options open. But at that stage, I think it's much too early for us to commit to a driver, whether very young or whether very experienced. I don't want to say old. Very experienced, the next few months will give us more clues."
Nevertheless, the Austrian acknowledges that he has already reduced the number of potentially suitable drivers considerably. Whether Wolff has one, two or three drivers in mind, he would not reveal at the team principals' press conference.