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The Formula 1 summer break is officially underway, which means the paddock’s rumor mill is running at maximum capacity. This week, the internet went into a frenzy after Max Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff were spotted vacationing together in Sardinia.
However, while fans are busy analyzing paparazzi photos of the two F1 heavyweights in the Mediterranean, the actual power moves might be happening on a runway in Austria.
The latest wave of speculation kicked off when Spanish outlet SoyMotor published photos showing Verstappen and his partner, Kelly Piquet, hanging out in the water alongside Toto and Susie Wolff. The images featured Wolff on a jet ski and the four-time world champion enjoying an electric hydrofoil board.
Because Wolff and Verstappen have been at the center of intense 2027 contract rumors, the F1 community immediately assumed this was a secret negotiation. But history tells a different story.
Verstappen and Wolff actually vacation in the exact same spot in Sardinia regularly, and both men have their luxury yachts moored in the area (Verstappen’s vessel, Unleash the Lion, docked on the island this past Sunday). Furthermore, Mercedes is widely expected to retain George Russell alongside rookie Kimi Antonelli for the 2027 season, leaving no room for the Dutch champion.
The far more interesting storyline was broken this week by GPblog, who tracked the highly suspicious movements of Verstappen’s private jet.
According to GPblog’s flight tracking data, Verstappen’s aircraft flew from its base in Nice, France, to Sardinia on Tuesday. However, after a brief stop, the plane immediately took off again and set a direct course for Salzburg, Austria—the home of Red Bull’s corporate headquarters.
Because Verstappen was actively on holiday in Italy, it is highly suspected that his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, stayed on the flight to attend high-level meetings at the Red Bull campus.
If Vermeulen is indeed taking meetings in Salzburg, it wouldn’t be his first high-stakes summit this summer.
This latest flight mirrors a similar trip from June, where Verstappen and Vermeulen flew to Salzburg to meet directly with Red Bull’s ultimate decision-makers: Mark Mateschitz, Oliver Mintzlaff, and Chalerm Yoovidhya. While Red Bull management is reportedly eager to offer Verstappen a revised contract that eliminates his performance-related exit clauses, Vermeulen has been busy putting out fires in the media.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 26: Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with teammates during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 26, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202607270320 // Usage for editorial use only //
Just two weeks ago, Vermeulen publicly pushed back against the rumors that Verstappen was looking for an early exit, stating that the driver intends to fulfill his current contract, which runs through 2028.
So, while social media continues to obsess over Verstappen and Wolff sharing a stretch of the Mediterranean Sea, the real F1 negotiations are likely happening quietly behind closed doors in Austria.
Continue reading...
However, while fans are busy analyzing paparazzi photos of the two F1 heavyweights in the Mediterranean, the actual power moves might be happening on a runway in Austria.
The latest wave of speculation kicked off when Spanish outlet SoyMotor published photos showing Verstappen and his partner, Kelly Piquet, hanging out in the water alongside Toto and Susie Wolff. The images featured Wolff on a jet ski and the four-time world champion enjoying an electric hydrofoil board.
Because Wolff and Verstappen have been at the center of intense 2027 contract rumors, the F1 community immediately assumed this was a secret negotiation. But history tells a different story.
Verstappen and Wolff actually vacation in the exact same spot in Sardinia regularly, and both men have their luxury yachts moored in the area (Verstappen’s vessel, Unleash the Lion, docked on the island this past Sunday). Furthermore, Mercedes is widely expected to retain George Russell alongside rookie Kimi Antonelli for the 2027 season, leaving no room for the Dutch champion.
The Real Story is in Salzburg
The far more interesting storyline was broken this week by GPblog, who tracked the highly suspicious movements of Verstappen’s private jet.
According to GPblog’s flight tracking data, Verstappen’s aircraft flew from its base in Nice, France, to Sardinia on Tuesday. However, after a brief stop, the plane immediately took off again and set a direct course for Salzburg, Austria—the home of Red Bull’s corporate headquarters.
Because Verstappen was actively on holiday in Italy, it is highly suspected that his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, stayed on the flight to attend high-level meetings at the Red Bull campus.
A Critical Juncture for Red Bull?
If Vermeulen is indeed taking meetings in Salzburg, it wouldn’t be his first high-stakes summit this summer.
This latest flight mirrors a similar trip from June, where Verstappen and Vermeulen flew to Salzburg to meet directly with Red Bull’s ultimate decision-makers: Mark Mateschitz, Oliver Mintzlaff, and Chalerm Yoovidhya. While Red Bull management is reportedly eager to offer Verstappen a revised contract that eliminates his performance-related exit clauses, Vermeulen has been busy putting out fires in the media.
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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 26: Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with teammates during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 26, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202607270320 // Usage for editorial use only //
Just two weeks ago, Vermeulen publicly pushed back against the rumors that Verstappen was looking for an early exit, stating that the driver intends to fulfill his current contract, which runs through 2028.
So, while social media continues to obsess over Verstappen and Wolff sharing a stretch of the Mediterranean Sea, the real F1 negotiations are likely happening quietly behind closed doors in Austria.
Continue reading...
