Oliver Mintzlaff, executive director of Red Bull, criticized Toto Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen, suggesting that he should focus on his struggling Formula 1 team. 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 capitalize on the power struggle within the Austrian team. However, Mintzlaff believes Wolff’s actions are disrespectful and that he should focus on his own challenges. He also emphasized the importance of respect and not discussing personnel from other teams.
Rumors about Verstappen’s possible move were fueled by the news of Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull before the Miami Grand Prix. However, Verstappen, who is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, reaffirmed his commitment to the team and showed no intention of leaving. Mintzlaff expressed confidence that Verstappen will stay at 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 to become a World Champion. He also highlighted Verstappen’s loyalty and the trust that Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, key figures at Red Bull, have in him. Mintzlaff believes that Verstappen strongly identifies with the Red Bull brand and sees many reasons for him to stay with the team.
