Oliver Mintzlaff, the Managing Director of Red Bull, has criticized Toto Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen, suggesting that he should focus on his struggling Formula 1 team instead. Wolff, the Team Principal of Mercedes, has been vocal about his desire to bring Verstappen to his team to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025. Despite Verstappen’s continued success with Red Bull, Wolff is looking to take advantage of the power struggle within the Austrian team. However, Mintzlaff believes that Wolff’s actions are disrespectful and that he should concentrate on his own challenges. He also emphasized the importance of respect and not discussing the personnel of other teams.
Rumors of Verstappen’s potential move were fueled by the news of Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull prior to the Miami Grand Prix. However, Verstappen, who has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, has reaffirmed his commitment to the team and has shown no intention of leaving. Mintzlaff expressed confidence that Verstappen will remain with Red Bull and emphasized the need for things to calm down. He believes that a calm environment is essential for long-term success in sports like Formula 1.
Wolff had suggested that there are factors unrelated to current performance that could attract Verstappen to Mercedes, considering their struggles this season. Mintzlaff disagreed with this viewpoint and believes that Red Bull offers Verstappen the fastest car and the best chance of becoming a World Champion. He also highlighted Verstappen’s loyalty and the trust that Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, key figures at Red Bull, have placed in him. Mintzlaff believes that Verstappen identifies strongly with the Red Bull brand and sees many reasons for him to stay with the team.