Toto Wolff reveals Max Verstappen need for 2027 F1 title tilt

Toto Wolff has revealed what he believes Max Verstappen needs to be able to fight for the championship next season, likely against Kimi Antonelli.

Verstappen sits sixth in the drivers' standings on 145 points after 14 rounds of the 2026 campaign, some 147 points adrift of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli at the top. 

Red Bull, meanwhile, has slipped to fourth in the constructors' championship on 230 points, well behind a dominant Mercedes outfit that leads on 503.

Asked by OE24 whether Red Bull could get back on track for 2027 and set up a title fight between Verstappen and Antonelli, the Mercedes team principal was careful not to write off the four-time champion, while stressing that machinery, not just talent, decides championships.

"Max is the most exceptional driver of this generation, but he also needs the car and the engine to compete for a world championship," Wolff said.

"He has to be the best driver in the best car with the best engine."

Toto Wolff stresses against Kimi Antonelli comparisons

Antonelli has won eight races in 2026, including a breakthrough triumph in China, a title-leading victory in Japan and an emotional home win at Monza after starting 19th following an engine penalty. 

Wolff's message, for now, is to let the numbers speak for themselves without forcing the comparison to Verstappen.

Wolff was also asked whether Antonelli, now the championship leader in only his second F1 season, was approaching Verstappen's level as a driver. The Austrian was reluctant to draw any parallel between the two.

"You can't compare a four-time world champion with a rookie in his second Formula 1 year who has only won a little over a handful of races," Wolff said.

"Besides, you shouldn't put too much pressure on Kimi. On the other hand, you can't overstate what he's achieved so far."