Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff believed that he had a "not zero" 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 entertained 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.
"By the way, I got on with Jos for all my life. But maybe because we're a bit similar. And that's why I thought the door was never completely closed.
"What were the odds of of that happening? Maybe there were 10 to 1. Nine to one. Still, I didn't want to give up, but then we together came to the conclusion over the summer that we shouldn't be waiting for something to happen before committing for 2025, but let's just continue our job, Max at Red Bull and here at Mercedes taking our own driver decisions.
"And that was a kind of joint thought."
Wolff suggested earlier in the season that he would "do a handstand" to secure Verstappen's services, which he joked he had tried over the summer and "hurt his wrist", but this was amid a phase where Mercedes was unsure on who to sign to its second seat to partner George Russell.
He explained that the talks with Verstappen and his management team were forthright, and that all parties were open in their discussions over 2025. In that, he was "okay" with speculation that Verstappen's path may lay with Mercedes' in the future.
"What I like with Max, Raymond and Jos is that we talk straight. We don't need to push each other. We have been in this too long; we've taken the decision for drivers for next year. This is what our full effort is going into.
"Hopefully that's going to be the lineup for 2026 and beyond. But that doesn't close the door on Max being with us in '26 or beyond, because we want to still keep all the options open in the same way he does. So what I enjoyed in our conversations is there is never a hidden agenda."
"Somehow I have that feeling [that Mercedes and Verstappen's paths will cross]. But I don't know when that could be. Whether it's '26, whether it's three years later, I don't know yet."
Wolff also appeared to hint that the team was now strongly leaning towards rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli in its 2025 considerations, as the Italian is set to drive for the team in FP1 at Monza.
Antonelli, who turns 18 on Sunday, has long been considered as the heir apparent to Hamilton at Mercedes - and Wolff said that he and Russell were very much a part of Mercedes' long-term plans.
"Soon, we will confirm who is in the second seat. And what I also said is that the two drivers that are in the car have our full support, 100%.
"And therefore I'm entering the season in 2025 with two drivers that we will be giving all the opportunity to perform.
"And that's why I don't want to talk about the 2026 driver lineup at that stage because I want to make it work with George and [hypothetically] Kimi."
