Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that he has a confident "feeling" that he will work with Max Verstappen in the future.
The Dutchman has been linked with the Silver Arrows this season during the recent investigation into Red Bull boss Christian Horner and again during his father's spat with the Briton.
Wolff famously missed out on signing Verstappen as a teenager, before Red Bull got the three-time world champion's signature.
Verstappen was speculated with a switch to the Brackley-based outfit to potentially replace Lewis Hamilton next season or more realistically for 2026, when the new power unit regulations are introduced.
Red Bull is set to produce its own powertrains for the new regulations, with there being some uncertainty over how competitive the Milton Keynes-based team will initially be.
However, on the opening day of this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, Horner stressed that Verstappen will not join Mercedes.
Despite Horner's comments, Wolff still believes he will work with the 26-year-old.
"Yes, it is," Wolff told select media including RacingNews365 when asked if crossing paths with the Verstappen in a working relationship is in the back of his mind.
"Somehow, I have that feeling. But I don't know when that could be, whether it's '26 or three years later. I don't know yet."
For next season, it is looking increasingly likely that Mercedes' teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Hamilton and partner George Russell.
Russell is contracted currently only until the end of next year, which is when most rumours pointed at Verstappen joining Mercedes.
However, should Verstappen leave Red Bull at the end of 2025 and join a team other than Mercedes, Wolff would not be overly bothered should the German manufacturer be happy with its own pairing.
"Well, if we have our drivers and we're happy with the line-up, and we believe that for us at that moment it's the best possible situation, then I wouldn't hate it," Wolff noted.
"Because it would be our understanding that that's the best for Mercedes."
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