Wolff expects a “full-on fight” as Verstappen and Red Bull surge

Toto Wolff expects a “full-on fight” at the front of Formula 1 as Max Verstappen and Red Bull regain momentum. The Mercedes chief believes the team will be central to the battle ahead in 2027, while Red Bull head to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin this weekend aiming for a third consecutive win and to close on McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.

Red Bull’s revival comes after a start to the season in which the team had lagged behind. Verstappen has won the last two races, a turnaround that impressed Wolff. “I really think that you need to take your hat off to what Red Bull has done this season,” he said after Verstappen’s dominant victory in Singapore.

Wolff also praised the work on the car and how the package had come together. He called Verstappen the quickest driver in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, adding that next season would be “a full-on fight between the teams”, with Red Bull among the leading contenders. He also pointed to the competitiveness of Red Bull’s internal combustion unit, as well as its energy recovery and deployment.

Mercedes began the season strongly, winning eight of the first 10 rounds under the sport’s new regulations. Its rate of victories has since slowed: it has taken three wins in the last seven races, while Ferrari, McLaren and, more recently, Red Bull have shown they can challenge on Grand Prix weekends.

Mercedes remain in contention for a world championship double as the closing races approach. Antonelli may wrap up the drivers’ championship at the US race scheduled for this weekend, provided other results fall in his favor.

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies, meanwhile, warned that the pecking order could change quickly if several rivals brought upgrades. He said his team did not expect to make another substantial change to the car, while stressing that it would keep working and learning from the remaining races, including for 2027. Verstappen and Red Bull arrive in Austin with a run to extend and McLaren as their immediate target in the Constructors’ Championship.