Toto Wolff prodded by Red Bull chief for failing to sign Max Verstappen

Mercedes team principal Wolff has admitted regret at not snapping up the talented young driver who is currently set for a third consecutive F1 championship.

Verstappen, of course, instead joined Red Bull’s junior programme before bursting onto the F1 scene in 2015 with Toro Rosso.

Red Bull consultant Marko told Algemeen Dagblad about Verstappen: "His talent would not have been visible enough in Formula 3, but then I don’t know what exactly Toto has been looking at. 

“Because when I saw Max busy for a while at the Norisring it was already completely clear to me that he had something special."

Wolff had previously told ESPN about his encounter with a young Verstappen: "I spoke to Jos and Huub Rothengatter when they came to my office in Brackley and that must have been when Max was in karting or the end of his karting days just before Formula 3.

"And then we spoke again when Max and Jos visited me in my house in Vienna. We spent a few hours discussing his future.

"Do I regret missing out on Max? Certainly. But it wasn't an option back in the day.

"We had two drivers that I was extremely happy with, in Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, and when Nico left , Valtteri Bottas was then the option and Max wasn't even available.

"Would Max and Lewis have functioned? Maybe not…”