Toto Wolff has made it clear that 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen is his first choice to replace 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton, declaﷺring that it “needs to happen at a certain stage”.

Mercedes have a seat to fill in 2025 after Hamilton decid༒ed to leave the team fo𝕴r Ferrari.

A host of names have been ♌linked with the vacant seat, but Verstappen is Wolff’s number one target.

Even though Verstappen is contra🌠cted at Red Bull until the end of 2028, the Dutchman could be tempted to jump ship before then.

The ongoing Christian Horner saga has put a strain on Red Bull internally with fric🎶tion between Jos Verstappen🔥 and the Red Bull boss apparent.

Similarly, Helmut Marko’s future is directly linked to the rei꧃gning world champion’s.

Speaking to Australia’s Foওx Sports in Melbourne😼, Wolff addressed Mercedes’ driver line-up situation for 2025.

“It’s the kind of relationship that need❀s to happen at a certain stage. But we don’t k🥂now when,” Wolff said of Verstappen.

He was then asked if Verstappen is his number one choice, he replied: “Yes, I mean,🐷 you see what his performance levels are. But I wouldn’t want to discount the other onesꦛ too.

“I think we’ve got to look at ourselves and [ask] what is it we can do with thi🌳s car. Then it becomes much easier, whoever drives the second car, it’s become much easier for George [Russell] because he has the potential of being a World Champion and so much💎 more.

“It’s the team’s pro𒐪blem to solve really, rather than loo♊king for a silver bullet with an amazing driver.”

Wolff also labelled 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Fernando Alonso and168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Carlos Sainz as other optio♕ns, while Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli was hinted.

“No, [Russell’s] a bank.🃏 He’s having that seat, he’s been part of our junior programme for a long time. The reason why is because he’s great, s🦹o it’s about the second seat,” he added.

“I think it depends also on what Max does. Then we have a young kid that is very promising and I don’t want to put more ext𒆙ra press𓆏ure on him, but it looks like he can be one of the great ones.

“But we also don’t want to drown him by jumping ൲so quickly in an F1 car at 17. So there are a few options that we play with him. Obviously, th൩ere’s Fernando [Alonso] who is very exciting, and Carlos [Sainz] is very good. So there are a few ones.  I’m gonna make the play like a bride – difficult to get!”