Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has named George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the team's priority for the 2026 Formula One season. The revelation comes after Max Verstappen was strongly linked to Mercedes.

With a move to Mercedes seemingly off the cards, Verstappen is now well-placed to remain at Red Bull until the end of his contract in 2028. It has been speculated that the four-time world champion could then retire, provided he is content with his achievements in F1, instead pursuing a new career in endurance racing.

With a move to Mercedes now seemingly on the back burner, Verstappen spoke about when he plans to retire. The Dutchman admitted last year to SPORTbible that he had achieved everything he wanted to in F1 and stated his intentions to try other forms of racing.