But speaking with Austrian outlet ORF ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made it clear that the team’s “priority” is their current driver lineup, George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli. “The direction is that we want to continue with George and Kimi. That’s our top priority,” said Wolff.

As for Verstappen’s widely reported exit clause, ORF claims it has now expired. The clause reportedly allowed him to leave Red Bull mid-contract in 2025, but only if he was outside the top three in the standings by mid-season. Currently sitting third, that window has closed, at least for this year.

Toto Wolff has spoken out about the possibility of signing Max Verstappen at Mercedes. We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.