Helmut Marko’s eight-word response to squabble between Toto Wolff and Oliver Mintzlaff
Toto Wolff and Helmut Marko.
Helmut Marko won’t be drawn into Oliver Mintzlaff’s spat with Toto Wolff after the Red Bull CEO told the Mercedes boss to focus on his “own problems” and leave other teams’ personnel alone.
Wolff has made no secret about wanting Red Bull’s triple World Champion Max Verstappen to be the driver who fills Lewis Hamilton’s soon-to-be-vacant seat next season. Or in 2026 at the latest.
Red Bull CEO isn’t happy about Wolff publicly courting Verstappen
Although Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull that runs through to the end of the 2028 season, Wolff believes there are “factors” that could persuade the Dutchman to swap allegiances.
His public courting of Verstappen has riled up Red Bull CEO Mintzlaff, who called it disrespectful.
He told Germany’s Bild: “I think Wolff should focus on his own problems. He has enough of those. And it also has something to do with respect when you keep talking about other teams’ personnel. That’s not appropriate.”
Told of Mintzlaff’s comment, Wolff clapped back: “I don’t know what the guy is commented on. There’s no relevance to me.”
But not happy to leave it there, he again made it clear he wants Verstappen at Mercedes.
“I think we want to take our time,” he said of deciding his 2025 line-up, “see where Max’s thinking goes and at the same time monitor the other drivers.”
Who said what in the Oliver Mintzlaff/Toto Wolff exchange
👉Toto Wolff in Red Bull firing line after publicly courting Max Verstappen
👉Toto Wolff questions Red Bull’s ‘1,000 per cent’ claim over Max Verstappen’s F1 future
Surprisingly Marko, never one to miss an opportunity to fire on Wolff, decided to stay out of this one.
“I don’t want to say anything about that,” he told OE24 when asked about the ‘Mintzlaff-Wolff hiccup’.
Pressed on it and Wolff’s response to the Red Bull CEO, Marko said: “Boom… I was already on my way to the plane.”
But with Wolff continuing in his pursuit of Verstappen, it begs the question will Verstappen stay at Red Bull as Mintzlaff claims is “1,000 per cent” guaranteed?
“As long as you give him a car capable of winning, you can assume that,” Marko said.
“Once again: Max wants to drive where he has the best chance of winning, and that is currently Red Bull.”
But what about 2026 with the all-new engines and cars? “That’s definitely a turning point,” admitted Marko.
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