Wolff keeps the possibility open for Verstappen in the future.

      Toto Wolff stated that Max Verstappen's choice to remain with Red Bull was a sensible one, yet the Mercedes director is still open to the possibility of pursuing him in the future. During an interview with Dutch media at Zandvoort, Wolff elaborated on his initially awkward response to Verstappen's contract extension through 2030. "It seemed logical to me that Max would continue with Red Bull," he commented on Saturday. "We’ll have to wait to see what unfolds in two or three years when contracts are up again and who is performing at their best."

      Wolff pointed out that the context has changed significantly compared to last year, when both Mercedes and Verstappen were openly considering a potential partnership. "Early on, we realized that continuing with George and Kimi was the right choice for us," he clarified. "It's a completely different situation from last year, when both sides were assessing the possibility of collaboration."

      Despite this, Verstappen still has ties to Mercedes through his growing GT program, which Wolff takes pleasure in mentioning. "At these races, we have extensive run-off areas," he said at Zandvoort. "True racing occurs when you're competing against 150 other cars. Those are the real hero races."

      Wolff also spoke about their well-publicized summer meeting in Sardinia. "We were simply swimming," he chuckled. "Over the years, we have developed a good relationship where certain topics, especially competitive ones, aren’t discussed." He added, "Raymond, Jos, and Max share a similar mindset and philosophy as Susie and I do, allowing for meaningful conversations. However, we're not discussing what he should do or what I should do."

      Wolff further believes Verstappen made the right decision to stay, as the longer current regulations are in place, the more likely it is that the traditional top teams will regroup and compete for titles and victories once again. "As time goes on, the usual leading teams—McLaren, Ferrari, ourselves, and Red Bull—will be vying for championships and wins again."