The Red Bull team dominated every racing circuit in the last couple of seasons. The team entered this season with a similar mindset, ready to recreate the glory. However, unforeseen circumstances held back the Milton Keynes-based outfit and pushed it into a chaotic slump. Now, the Austrian outfit is struggling both on and off the track.
Further, some key personnel have left the team, the latest being Jonathan Wheatley. Audi poached the RBR Sporting Director, who offered him a team principal role. Moreover, Adrian Newey has also joined hands with Aston Martin as Technical Manager, making another dent in Red Bull. The Mercedes chief believes these sudden exits are one of the reasons for RBR’s shocking decline.
Wolff Claims “Losing Too Many People” Has Weekend Red Bull’s Dominance
As the 2024 F1 season unfolds, Mercedes has gained momentum with three Grand Prix wins, while Red Bull finds itself struggling to maintain its dominance. Toto Wolff, in an interview with Austrian outlet OE24, highlighted how Red Bull’s downturn in performance is largely attributed to the departure of key personnel from the team. Wolff noted that losing significant figures, such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, has inevitably impacted Red Bull’s competitiveness. Both Newey and Wheatley, crucial to Red Bull’s success, are set to join other F1 teams in 2025, a shift Wolff believes has weakened the Austrian team’s edge on the track.
Looking ahead, Wolff acknowledged Aston Martin’s growing potential, especially with the addition of Newey. He suggested that by 2026, Aston Martin could emerge as a serious contender in F1. Wolff also praised the team’s leadership under Andy Cowell, a former Mercedes performance engineer, who could elevate Aston Martin to the next level of competitiveness.
Toto Wolff Gives Fresh Assessment Of His Relationship With Jos Verstappen
Toto Wolff reflected on his long-standing relationship with Jos Verstappen, Max Verstappen’s father, noting that their bond dates back to when Max first began competing in single-seaters. Wolff revealed that the two shared similar values and had developed a good understanding, especially after their initial F1 meeting in Vienna before Max joined Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, in 2015. Their relationship had always been based on mutual respect and a clear vision of how things should work for both their families.
However, tensions arose following the 2021 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, when Max Verstappen’s crash with Lewis Hamilton left him hospitalized. Wolff admitted that he made a critical mistake by not contacting Jos immediately after the incident. He explained that he relied on information from the pitlane, which indicated that Max was uninjured, instead of reaching out personally. As a father himself, Wolff acknowledged that he should have called Jos, understanding the emotional impact such incidents can have on parents.