Toto Wolff is no longer trying to poach Verstappen

      Last year, Toto Wolff made attempts to sign a contract with Max Verstappen, but the Red Bull Racing driver did not accept the offer, and Kimi Antonelli became George Russell's new Mercedes team-mate.

      In Melbourne, the Mercedes team principal revealed that he was no longer considering Max's candidacy and was ready to start negotiations with Russell, whose contract with the team expires at the end of 2025.

      Toto Wolff: "We have to focus on our own drivers. I don't flirt on the street if I'm in a good relationship, so at the moment, Verstappen's move isn't on our radar.

      I don't want to shift my focus away from Russell and Antonelli. I am of the opinion that this line-up should remain at Mercedes in the future. I have no reason to doubt it.

      A few weeks ago, George and I discussed when the right time would come to talk about the contract. We will find the right time for such a conversation. I think it will be before the summer. We will hold negotiations in a timely manner so that they do not interfere with the course of the season."