Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff have been arch-rivals for a long time. In fact, ever since the Dutch racer made his debut in F1, he wanted to beat Mercedes. After all, back then, they were the team to beat. However, things changed dramatically in 2021 when the Red Bull driver won his maiden title. Since then, he has never looked back. Moreover, Max went on to win two or more titles in 2022 and last year. Since then, he has become the driver to beat. But when it comes to performance, the Dutchman constantly proves that he is the best.
Moreover, Verstappen is lucky to have driven a fast car, which helped him become a three-time champion. In 2024, he is on his way to win his fourth title. Max Verstappen is enjoying a pretty good lead lately. Clearly, he has been the most dominant driver in the grid for the last three years. Lately, Mercedes has been looking for a replacement for Lewis Hamilton as the Briton is moving to Ferrari next year. Reportedly, Max is Toto Wolff’s top choice for replacing Hamilton. However, Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull CEO, has stressed that Verstappen is “Going nowhere.”
What Did Toto Wolff Say To Mintzlaff’s Comments?
Recently, in an interview with BILD, Oliver Mintzlaff mentioned that he understands the pressure Toto and other team principals are going through at present. After all, they have all been behind Red Bull for such a long time. Moreover, the Red Bull CEO said that the Mercedes boss should focus on his own problems. Mintzlaff is aware of the plenty of problems the German outfit is dealing with right now. Nevertheless, the Red Bull CEO doesn’t think its appropriate that Toto Wolff is showing interest in signing his team’s personnel. Later, in reply, the Mercedes boss told the media after the Miami GP on Sunday that he is not sure what Mintzlaff is reacting to. Most importantly, Wolff said, “Those comments are not relevant to me.”
Moreover, there have been rumors that Toto Wolff and other Mercedes owners would have a meeting with Max Verstappen on Monday. The Mercedes boss told the media, including RacingNews365, that they won’t have a meeting on Monday. Adding to that, Wolff said the Dutch racer is a target for all teams. But he doesn’t think Max Verstappen will leave until 2025. Moreover, Toto Wolff said Max is the best driver at present and he will have to make a decision. Perhaps there is no decision to make as he has a fast car already. But Toto feels that it is “No guide for us.”
Internal Turmoil At Red Bull Might Make Max Verstappen Leave Like Newey
The topic of Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull to join Mercedes has been the most talked about in 2024. Things turned bad for the Austrian outfit when a female employee accused Christian Horner of “Inappropriate behavior.” Later, Jos Verstappen publicly criticized the Red Bull team principal for putting the team in danger of tearing itself apart. Following his dad’s outburst in front of the media, Max mentioned, “My dad is not a liar.”
He even said that he might leave if Helmut Marko, the senior advisor, leaves the team. But Max Verstappen always said that he is focusing on the performance, as is the whole team. Moreover, all he ever wanted was to be a part of a happy and peaceful environment. Then, the design chief, Adrian Newey, announced his departure after staying with the team for 16 long years. Now, what’s next for Max and Red Bull?
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