Christian Horner, Red Bull boss, pushed back on Mercedes Formula 1 team principal, Toto Wolff. He advise his competitor to quit dreaming of mighty but “unavailable” Max Verstappen.
Recently, Wolff expressed his desire to sign Verstappen if he walks off from the Red Bull. Horner tried to shut him claiming the three times world champion is committed to the team for long term.
The British boss claims that Wolff is wasting time chasing the Verstappen.
Horner told the press: “Have you spoken to Max about this? Because if you speak to Max, it’s not about pieces of paper at the end of the day.
“We know that he has a contract to the end of 2028. It’s about how he feels in the team, the relationship he has in the team and the way he’s performing. And I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers.
“I think he’s probably got other elements that he needs to be focusing on rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable.”
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Wolff expects to provide a more competitive car and wanted the Dutch driver to replace Lewis Hamilton.
Wolff said: “There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining. Clearly when you look at it from the most rational point of view you can say it is the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver. But I don’t think this is the only reason you stay where you are.
“For, let’s say, simple minds, that might be the only reason to stay in the car. But maybe there is more depth to some people that consider other factors too, and I think Max has that depth.
“In that respect, are we going to convince him? I don’t think it is a matter of convincing and I think that Max knows motor racing better than anyone. He will take decisions that are good for him.
“I think a few factors play a role but he is the one that is going to trigger some more dominoes to fall afterwards. Everybody is waiting on what he is going to do.”
Wolff believes Mercedes’ would be in a great position in 2026 to provide a competitive car for his drivers. He asserts that the team would perform very well in new regulatory era.
“If I was Max, I would stay at Red Bull in 2025,” he said. “But I am not Max. It is the quickest car, but there are other factors.”
