Racing icon questions Toto Wolff’s ‘desperation’ to sign Max Verstappen for 2026

Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya was not convinced that Toto Wolff was still keen on signing Max Verstappen for Mercedes.

Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen (images via IMAGO)

Mercedes has always had an eye on Max Verstappen. Team boss Toto Wolff was close to signing the Dutch driver all the way back in 2014. Albeit, Red Bull managed to lure Verstappen with a Toro Rosso seat for the following season. Since then, Wolff and his team have lamented this loss and tried to poach the F1 star. However, racing icon Juan Pablo Montoya wonders if things have changed at Brackley now.

Last year, Max Verstappen was at the top of Mercedes’ list of drivers to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. Toto Wolff had publicly shown interest in acquiring the services of the reigning world champion. Though, the F1 star decided to stay at Red Bull for 2025. However, the Silver Arrows left the door open for a potential switch a year later.

Now, rumors have persisted that Verstappen could be in talks with Mercedes once again. Reports suggest that George Russell has already contacted Red Bull in case such a move unfolds. Though, Toto Wolff had previously dismissed such a possibility, claiming that he was happy with his current line-up.

Thus, Juan Pablo Montoya questioned whether the Austrian billionaire is still as desperate to sign Max Verstappen as he was a year ago.

I know Toto was desperate to have Max last year. Is he still desperate this year to have Max? I’m not so sure.
Juan Pablo Montoya said, as quoted by GPBlog

Toto Wolff has not explicitly shown interest in Verstappen in recent weeks. However, Mercedes can not miss the opportunity to sign someone like the Dutch driver. It is likely that the Silver Arrows would be looking to at least discuss such a possibility for the following season.

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Juan Pablo Montoya gives stern warning to Max Verstappen

Verstappen has won one out of the first five races this year. The reigning world champion did come close in Saudi Arabia but a five-second penalty ruined his chances. Red Bull is still behind McLaren when it comes to pure pace, making things much more difficult for the 27-year-old this time around. As the Dutch driver is forced to push himself to the limit in every session to get the maximum pace out of the car.

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko (via Getty)

Montoya claimed that things will only get worse at Milton Keynes with the new regulations in 2026. So much so, that the Columbian warned Verstappen of being stuck in the midfield alongside teams like Williams, which would be detrimental to his ambitions.

Red Bull next year could be running where Williams is running.
Juan Pablo Montoya stated

This might seem like a bold prediction considering Red Bull is still the second fastest team on the grid. Although, a major rule change does have the potential to shake up the pecking order, it is unlikely that the Austrian team will suffer such a massive decline. Rather, a possible scenario would be that Milton Keynes falls behind the front runners and can only get an odd podium here or there.

Certainly, Max Verstappen will have doubts over Red Bull’s pace next season. The Dutch driver wants to have the best possible shot at the title next year and would be willing to switch teams if needed. However, it is still too early to tell when it comes to Verstappen’s future in the sport. It is possible that he makes a decision during the summer break. Thus, fans will need to wait for some time before they get a clear picture over Verstappen’s 2026 campaign.

Tags: Juan Pablo Montoya Max Verstappen Toto Wolff

#About the Author

Armaan Agarwal

(2643 Articles Published)

Armaan Agarwal is a Motorsport Sub-editor and Content Manager at Firstsportz. He has written over 2500 articles with around 1000 edited pieces under his belt. Armaan has years of experience in the field of journalism, having followed Formula 1 and NASCAR for almost a decade. Nico Rosberg's title victory at the 2016 Abu Dhabi GP against Lewis Hamilton remains engraved in his memory. He started his journey with his own motorsport blog in 2017. At Firstsportz, Armaan provides deep insight into the sport for fans through his special editorial pieces. Armaan has several other skills, including social media content creation, script writing, and debating. He completed his Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication with a gold medal from St. Xavier’s University Kolkata. Presently, he is pursuing his Post Graduation in Broadcast Journalism at the India Today Media Institute with a keen eye at the ever-evolving dynamics of a newsroom. Apart from motorsport, he is an avid reader and keeps himself up to date with current affairs.

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