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Published: May 8, 2024
Toto Wolff, the head of the Mercedes team competing in the Formula 1 World Championship, rejected the idea of meeting with Dutch driver Max Verstappen from Red Bull to discuss the possibility of his transfer to the German team.
However, Wolff confirmed at the same time that Mercedes is looking into the possibility of signing other drivers, including Carlos Sainz from Ferrari.
Verstappen is steadily on the path to winning the drivers' championship for the fourth consecutive season, having recorded 4 victories in the first six races of the 2024 season.
But the future of the Dutch driver has become uncertain at Red Bull due to the tough period the team is experiencing behind the scenes.
Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull, faced accusations of misconduct with an employee earlier this year before being cleared, while Adrian Newey stepped down from his position as head of the technical office and will be free to move to any team at the beginning of 2025.
Verstappen's contract with Red Bull extends until 2028, but media reports have suggested the possibility that he could join Mercedes after British driver Lewis Hamilton, the current driver for the team, moves to Ferrari starting from the next season.
When asked if he had met Verstappen, Wolff said: "There are always many meetings, I can’t talk about the second driver, but I think we discussed the available options."
He added: "I want to be fair to those drivers and not make it feel like a game of chess with humans, because we don’t do that."
He clarified: "I think we need some time to see how Max thinks while simultaneously monitoring the other drivers. Carlos Sainz from Ferrari was really strong again in Miami, which is why we are currently in a wait-and-see position."
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