Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has responded to Toto Wolff’s statements last weekend that he was still interested in Max Verstappen.
The Mercedes team boss launched another charm offensive towards Max Verstappen last weekend by stating that various factors can play a role in why a driver chooses a particular team. He makes no bones about the fact that the Dutchman is at the top of his wish list.
Verstappen and Red Bull are dominating this season just as they have done the past two seasons and there would therefore be no reason for Verstappen to look elsewhere. But during the beginning of the season there was the unrest surrounding Christian Horner and Dr. Helmut Marko and Wolff tries to take advantage of that.
“I’m going to think carefully about what I say here,” Christian Horner told the media in Shanghai when talking about Wolff’s statements.
“Have you talked to Max about this? Because when you talk to Max, and in the end it’s not about pieces of paper, 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 delivers.”
“I don’t think Toto’s problems are with his riders, I think he probably has other elements he needs to focus on rather than on riders who are unavailable.”
At the start of the season there were rumors that Verstappen’s camp wanted to visit other places and when Horner was asked whether he would not like Verstappen to put an end to the rumors himself, he reacts angrily.
“I don’t know how many times he has to say it. He’s said it countless times. I’m not going to interfere with it, I think sometimes it’s just meant to make noise.”
Horner also does not hesitate to throw another jab at Mercedes.
“Today we are ahead of the number of races Mercedes has won in the modern era, so the team is in good form, why on earth would you want to leave this team?” said Horner.
“Mercedes is currently the third team behind their customers, so I think his time would be better spent focusing on the team rather than the driver market.”
“Have any of you heard that George Russell’s contract expires at the end of 2025? Maybe he doesn’t really want to stay in 2026, the market is moving.”
Horner concludes as follows: “I can assure you that there is no uncertainty about where Max Verstappen will be next year.”