Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Red Bull GmbH in Austria, has spoken out for the first time in Miami about the recent turmoil surrounding the Formula 1 team. He is eager to restore calm as quickly as possible. As for the premature departure of Max Verstappen, he is not worried at all, he argues. “Max is a loyal guy,” he says.
Since the death of Red Bull’s co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022, Mintzlaff has become the new leading figure of the Austrian energy drink company. He believes that Verstappen, despite the unrest and problems of the past few months, will fulfill his contract through 2028. He also believes that the three-time world champion is not considering leaving at all.
“Max Verstappen is a thoroughbred racer,” Mintzlaff (48) tells BILD. “He wants to win every race, every qualification, and every training. That’s what connects us. Winning is in his and our DNA. And Max finds the perfect conditions for this with us. We have created a unique environment and built the best car in Formula 1.”
‘We Need to Restore Calm’
Mintzlaff continues: “Max has not said a word about not wanting to fulfill his ongoing contract. I’m not worried at all that he’s considering a switch. We just need to restore calm now. That’s what Max wants and that’s what we want too. That’s what you need if you want to be successful in the long term in sports, whether it’s in football or in Formula 1.”
Last week, it was announced that master designer Adrian Newey is leaving Red Bull prematurely. This was due to an internal power struggle behind the scenes at Red Bull, strained working relationships within the team, and all the commotion surrounding team boss Christian Horner, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by a team member. Mintzlaff does not comment on this in the German newspaper.
Understanding the Pressure Toto Wolff is Under
Mintzlaff does, however, take a swipe at Toto Wolff, the team boss of Mercedes who has repeatedly expressed a desire to work with Verstappen. Wolff sees Verstappen as the ideal successor to Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving for Ferrari after this season.
Mintzlaff on Wolff’s insinuations: “I understand the pressure that Toto Wolff and perhaps other teams are under after years of lagging behind. But I think Toto Wolff needs to focus on his challenges. He has more than enough of them. And it also has something to do with a lack of respect when you keep talking about the staff of other teams, that’s not good.”
According to him, Verstappen wants to stay not only based on the sporting prospects. But there’s more. “Max wants to become world champion. With us, he has the best chances,” he says. To add: “But Max is also a loyal boy. He knows that Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have always had faith in him. He appreciates that. In addition, Red Bull is simply a great brand with which he can greatly identify. So there are many reasons to stay and none to leave.”
