“It would be a real feat”: Toto Wolff unsure over Red Bull’s 2026 ‘splash’

Mercedes' boss Toto Wolff shared his expectations on what Red Bull Racing might come up with for the 2026 F1 season. He also shared his insights on Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull’s stable, as he was unsure about the Milton Keynes-based team’s 2026 car.

Reports came out ahead of the 2025 Austrian GP that Wolff was in conversation with Verstappen over a possible switch to Mercedes for the 2026 season. Wolff came out to comment on the same while also revealing Red Bull’s position when it comes to the development of the 2026 car.

F1 is set to introduce new regulations for the 2026 F1 season, which will bring major changes to the chassis and the engines. It's the biggest change since the 2014 F1 regulations and will level the playing field for all teams.

Red Bull, on the other hand, has struggled to keep up with McLaren in 2025, as Max Verstappen has continued to drop away from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the championship. Their current engine partner, Honda, will work with Aston Martin starting in 2026 as RBPT (Red Bull PowerTrains) partners with Ford.

F1 Grand Prix of Austria - Source: Getty

Amid all this, Toto Wolff suggested that it would be a surprise if Red Bull could make a big step forward going into 2026. He said, via Kleine Zeitung:

“Max is a loyal guy. I don’t think he’ll jump at the first opportunity to jump ship if he feels things are going south there. The team dynamics around Helmut Marko certainly play a role, and certainly also whether the car is competitive for next year.” “Of course, it’s always possible that something good will come out of their infrastructure and their people. But if you calculate how likely that is, it would be a real feat if they succeed in making a big splash right away,” added Wolff.

Toto Wolff sets deadline to confirm Mercedes’ 2026 driver lineup

George Russell's Mercedes contract expires at the end of this season. Meanwhile, Toto Wolff was also in conversation with Max Verstappen over a seat at Mercedes for the 2026 season. Moreover, Russell hasn't been offered a new contract, and Antonelli was signed on a one-year deal.

Wolff revealed the deadline for Mercedes to confirm their driver lineup for 2026, as he said:

“I've been open with it, transparent. And at a certain stage, in the next couple of months, until the summer break, everything is going to be done.”

When further pushed for a more specific date, Toto Wolff suggested that the middle of the summer break was his deadline for confirming the driver lineup.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam