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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner responded to Toto Wolff's latest comments about Max Verstappen's Formula One future and suggested his Mercedes counterpart to quit "focusing on drivers that are unavailable."
With Mercedes yet to decide who will replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton in 2025, Wolff, who revealed earlier this season that he "would love" to sign F1's reigning world champion if he became available, said after Verstappen's latest dominant win for Red Bull in the Chinese GP that "everyone is waiting to see what he is going to do". Reigning world champion Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, but Wolff is keen on attracting a driver he passed up on signing a decade ago to the Silver Arrows - as he envisions a future without Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen's contract with Red Bull Racing runs until 2028, although concern about the Dutchman's future arose earlier this season as a result of an inquiry by Red Bull Racing's parent company into allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Horner by a female worker. The complaint against Horner, who has consistently rejected the allegations, was dismissed. The woman who filed the complaint has appealed the decision. "There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining and clearly when you look at it from the most rational point of view, you could say that's the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver," Wolff said as quoted by Sky Sports. "But I don't think this is the only reason you stay where you are. I think for let's say, simple minds, that might be the only reason you stay in the car and that's it, but maybe there are more depths for some people that consider other factors too, and I think Max has depth," he added. As per Sky Sports, Wolff said that Verstappen would be his first choice to replace Hamilton. "In that respect are we going to even convince him? I don't think Max needs convincing, I think Max knows motor racing better than anyone and will take decisions that he feels are good for him. I think a few factors play a role but he's the one that will trigger some more domino stones to trigger afterwards. Everyone is waiting on what he is going to do," he added. Wolff's post-race remarks in China were quickly addressed by Horner at his own Sunday media briefing, and he urged that the Mercedes team principal focus on his team's current track form following a poor start to the 2024 season. "When did he [Wolff] say that [about Verstappen]? If you speak to Max and...it's not about pieces of paper at the end of the day. We know he has a contract until the end of 2028. It's about how he feels in the team and the relationship he has in the team and the way he's performing. I don't think Toto's problems are his drivers. He has probably got other elements he needs to focus on, rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable," Horner said as quoted by Sky Sports. When asked if he wants Verstappen to state unequivocally that he is staying, Horner said, "I don't know how many more times he needs to say it! He's said it numerous times. I think sometimes it's designed to create noise. We've moved ahead of the amount of races Mercedes have won in the modern era. The team is in form, why on earth would you want to leave this team?" (ANI)
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