[AmuroRay]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/wo...2025/10646951/

Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff believed that he had a "possibility" to sign Max Verstappen for 2025 and held summer talks with his management team.

Amid the earlier power struggles that created a fractious environment at Red Bull in the opening phase of the 2024 season, there was much speculation that Verstappen could depart the Milton Keynes squad at the end of the year and join Mercedes.

It was revealed that Verstappen had a break clause in his contract that could be activated if Helmut Marko, then embroiled in a power struggle with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, left the defending champion team. This avenue appeared to close when Marko's future at the team was locked down until 2026.

Wolff has since disclosed that he remained in talks with Verstappen's management team - namely his father Jos and manager Raymond Vermeulen - with discussions over the future taking place in the summer. However, the two parties came to the conclusion that Verstappen would not be joining Mercedes in 2025.

"I thought all through the year that there was a window or that there was a possibility. It wasn't zero," Wolff explained.

"It's pretty bumpy ground there still, and not only for performance reasons, but also because of interpersonal issues that we're all aware.