Mercedes shifts focus from F1, praises GT endurance partnership with Verstappen: “It seemed unlikely”

Key takeaways

• Cross-category collaboration: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the joint GT endurance program between Red Bull and Mercedes, thanking the Austrian team for permitting Max Verstappen to race a Mercedes GT3 car.
• Open door for the future: While Verstappen recently extended his Red Bull contract through 2030, Wolff refused to rule out a future Formula 1 partnership, noting their paths could cross in F1, GT racing, or karting.
• Praise for GT racing: Wolff described Nordschleife endurance racing as “real racing” for “true heroes,” highlighting the challenge of competing against 150 cars across day, night, rain, and fog.

Toto Wolff avoided showing any frustration over the contract extension between Max Verstappen and Red Bull, instead praising Mercedes’ partnership with the Dutchman outside of Formula 1. During the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, the boss of the German team expressed gratitude to Red Bull for allowing the four-time world champion to get involved with the Silver Arrows in the world of endurance racing—something that, according to him, “seemed unlikely.”

It is important to highlight that the owner of the #3 RB22 now holds a contract with the Milton Keynes-based squad through 2030. However, the driver does not concentrate his efforts solely on competing in single-seaters. On the contrary: several months ago, he began taking part in endurance events, racing GT machinery with the Silver Arrows. And for Wolff, those represent “real racing.”

“Our paths have already crossed in GT racing. When we developed this program together a year and a half ago, it seemed like an unlikely thing. Why would Red Bull allow Max to drive a Mercedes GT3 car? But they had an open mind, and we are grateful for that because the project has been a success—the Red Bull-Mercedes project. We have this cooperation between the two brands and Max, and it is nice to see that it is working out,” Wolff declared to Motorsport.com.

“We have these things here in F1 with huge gravel traps and run-off zones. Real racing is where you drive past trees, go up and down over crests, and through blind corners. And against the Dacia,” Wolff joked, referring to the Olli’s Garage team, which competes in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with a Dacia Logan. “No, seriously, they are heroes,” he continued.

“You race against 150 cars on the Nordschleife, day and night, through fog, rain, and ice. Those are races for real heroes,” he added.

Finally, Wolff indicated that Verstappen’s future with Mercedes remains open-ended. The German team boss explained that a partnership would not necessarily take place in F1, though he stopped short of discarding the idea entirely.

“I don’t know what the future holds for us, but the mindset is what I just described. I don’t know where our paths will cross. Will it be in karting, will it be in GTs, will it be in F1, or in some other joint project in the future? It could happen one day, but maybe not necessarily with Max in a Mercedes F1 car,” he pointed out.

Lastly, Wolff was asked if the Dutchman would enjoy the same freedom to compete in endurance racing should he ever sign with Mercedes in F1. “Every team is different. What I am trying to do is identify what makes a driver fast within our structure. What kind of structure do we need to offer to extract the best performance from the driver? And part of that, obviously, involves well-being. And that is also something I consider very important,” he concluded.

Formula 1 returns from September 4–6 at Monza, home to the Italian Grand Prix and the 13th round of the 2026 season. GRANDE PRÊMIO covers all track activities live. Follow all updates on our news page.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Does Max Verstappen drive a Mercedes GT car in endurance racing?

Yes, Red Bull granted Verstappen permission to participate in GT3 endurance events using a Mercedes-AMG GT3 car under a joint Red Bull-Mercedes program.

2. Is Max Verstappen under contract with Red Bull in Formula 1?

Yes, Max Verstappen holds an active contract with Red Bull Racing through the end of the 2030 season.

3. Did Toto Wolff rule out signing Max Verstappen to Mercedes in Formula 1?

No, Toto Wolff stated he does not know where their paths will cross in the future, leaving open the possibility of racing together in GTs, karting, or Formula 1.