“I don’t know what the guy wants with that statement. Anything I say is too much. I don’t bother with it. Maybe he wants to be in the newspaper. Or maybe they told him to say that,” said Wolff on ORF following the Miami Grand Prix. The verbal skirmishes were triggered by Wolff’s constant courting of Max Verstappen.
Mintzlaff had previously criticized this heavily in an interview with the Bild newspaper. “I understand the pressure that Toto Wolff and perhaps other teams have following years of being behind. But I think that Toto Wolff should concentrate on his challenges. He has enough of that. And it also has something to do with respect when “I keep talking regarding the personnel of other teams. That’s not appropriate,” said the German, who referred to triple world champion Verstappen’s long-term contract with Red Bull Racing (until 2028).
Surprised by statements
Wolff seemed surprised by Mintzlaff’s statements and emphasized his “great respect” for the Austrian side of the racing team around Mark Mateschitz, his mother Anita Gerhardter and Helmut Marko. “This success is an Austrian success. Max is a product of Helmut. I don’t know why such statements are made,” added the Viennese.
Mercedes must find a replacement for record world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari, for the coming season. Wolff has therefore expressed his interest in signing Verstappen several times. Star designer Adrian Newey will leave the Austrian-British racing team by the beginning of 2025 at the latest due to the unrest surrounding team boss Christian Horner.
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Matthias Walkner accelerated in his wheelchair
