Red Bull’s Managing Director, Oliver Mintzlaff, Issues Cautionary Words to Mercedes’ CEO Toto Wolff Regarding Public Remarks About Max Verstappen
Oliver Mintzlaff, the Managing Director of Red Bull, has delivered a pointed warning to Toto Wolff, the CEO of Mercedes, in response to his public expressions of admiration towards star driver Max Verstappen. Mintzlaff’s rebuke comes in the wake of Wolff’s remarks praising Verstappen, amidst Mercedes’ efforts to find a replacement for seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who is poised to join Ferrari in 2025.
Responding to Wolff’s comments, Mintzlaff firmly reiterated Verstappen’s allegiance to Red Bull, emphasizing the necessity for Wolff to focus on internal team matters rather than pursuing talents contracted with rival teams.
Wolff had previously remarked, as quoted by ESPN, “This is a decision that Max needs to take, but there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car.” Mintzlaff, in contrast, expressed his disapproval of Wolff’s public courting of Verstappen in an interview with Bild Am Sonntag, as cited by Pit Pass. He emphasized the perceived disrespect in discussing another team’s key assets and urged Wolff to concentrate on his own team’s challenges.
Furthermore, Mintzlaff highlighted Verstappen’s unwavering commitment to Red Bull and the strong rapport he shares with the team’s leadership, including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. He reassured that Verstappen has not shown any inclination to depart from the team, emphasizing the mutual trust and positive relationship.
Addressing the departure of Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey, Mintzlaff acknowledged Newey’s significant contributions to Red Bull’s success over the years. While expressing regret over Newey’s exit, he underscored the legacy and structural foundation that Newey leaves behind, affirming Red Bull’s capability to continue building high-performance Formula 1 cars in his absence.
