Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has ruled out signing Max Verstappen for the 2027 Formula One season, confirming George Russell and championship leader Kimi Antonelli will remain the team's driver lineup while keeping the four-time world champion firmly on the team's long-term radar.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, Wolff said Mercedes' immediate priority is maintaining stability after a dominant start to Formula One's new regulations era.
But he also made it clear the prospect of pairing Verstappen with Antonelli remains a possibility beyond 2027.
"We will not shy away from perhaps having them both in the team at some stage," Wolff said. "You must give Kimi time to develop. Max is at his peak, he can do anything."
Verstappen remains under contract with Red Bull through the end of 2028, although his deal is widely believed to include performance-related exit clauses that could allow him to leave earlier under certain circumstances.
Mercedes' impressive form this season has only strengthened Wolff's confidence in his current lineup.
Antonelli, 19, has emerged as the breakout star of the championship, leading the standings ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and teammate Russell after collecting multiple victories, including his sixth win of the season at last week's Belgian Grand Prix.
Verstappen, meanwhile, has endured an unusually difficult campaign and sits seventh in the standings without a race victory.
Antonelli's rapid rise since replacing Hamilton at the start of 2025 has convinced Mercedes that continuity is the best path forward. Russell, who joined the works team in 2022, is also expected to remain alongside the Italian next season.
"We haven't made an official announcement yet, but at this stage it's the only logical conclusion," Wolff said.
Despite confirming the team's short-term plans, Wolff showed no hesitation about eventually managing two elite drivers under one roof, even after experiencing one of Formula One's fiercest teammate rivalries when Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battled for championships at Mercedes.
"I had it worse with Rosberg and Hamilton. Today I would probably do it better," Wolff said.
Mercedes have pursued Verstappen for several seasons as Red Bull's dominance has fluctuated, but the team's commanding pace under Formula One's latest technical regulations has reduced any urgency to overhaul a lineup already delivering consistent success.
Russell's multi-year contract extends through 2027, while Antonelli's remarkable development has reinforced Mercedes' belief that the teenager should continue growing without unnecessary disruption.