Wolff has indicated that Antonelli has reduced the pressure to finalize a contract with Verstappen.

      Toto Wolff has further suggested that Max Verstappen is unlikely to join Mercedes in 2027, highlighting that Kimi Antonelli's rise means the team no longer feels immediate pressure to sign the current top driver. The Mercedes team principal had previously acknowledged in Hungary that Antonelli and George Russell are anticipated to continue together next season, while leaving the door open for a potential future pairing with the 19-year-old Italian.

      "You always aim to have the best drivers behind the wheel," Wolff stated in an interview with the Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure. "Max continues to set the standard among drivers, but we may have moved beyond the necessity of signing a driver of his level right now."

      Wolff emphasized the need for Mercedes to "think long term" regarding who will lead the pack in "three, five, or even ten years." "That’s why we established the young driver program, allowing kids as young as 10 to compete in karting," he explained.

      Antonelli, who currently leads the championship with six wins, increasingly seems to fit that description. "What impresses me the most is how he navigates the highs and lows of a season," Wolff remarked when asked about his standout qualities. "He’s in a league of his own when driving. When he returns to the pits, he remains unflappable, analyzing everything and moving forward."

      "He defies the stereotype of the overly emotional Italian driver. He’s been groomed for F1," Wolff added. He noted that Antonelli's pathway to Formula 1 began well before Mercedes secured him a race seat.

      "For elite drivers, innate talent comprises 90 percent of performance, with the remaining 10 percent being sheer effort," the team principal shared. "Kimi's preparation for F1 commenced when he was just eight years old, and he was already remarkable back then."

      "At times he faces setbacks and disappointing races, but he manages to move past them to keep progressing. No one anticipated this, not even his teammate." However, Antonelli qualified in P4 in Hungary, as Mercedes appeared to fall behind its upgraded competitors, while George Russell experienced an engine failure.

      "All the top teams have introduced updates recently, and we haven’t made any significant enhancements for a while, at least not in terms of downforce," Antonelli remarked. "We anticipated this situation. Other teams have rolled out upgrades while we're still waiting on ours. This weekend has certainly been challenging so far."