Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko responds to rumors about a potential meeting in Sardinia between Max Verstappen and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. The Dutchman has been linked with a move to the Silver Arrows for some time, although it remains uncertain whether the meeting with Wolff actually took place. In any case, Marko is not worried: ‘We assume that Max will stay with us.’
Ever since George Russell revealed that Max Verstappen and his own racing team Mercedes have been in talks, the rumor mill has been in overdrive. The Dutchman has been linked with a move to the Silver Arrows for weeks. Verstappen is even said to have met with Wolff on the Italian island of Sardinia. However, Mercedes reportedly denies that the meeting took place.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was also asked whether Wolff and Verstappen did or did not meet in Sardinia. The Austrian did not comment on this, but he does not seem to be worried about who Verstappen is talking to. “Max can meet with whoever he wants,” Marko tells OE24. “We have a valid contract until 2028, and we assume that Max will stay with us.”
Mercedes’ Current Line-up and Potential Changes
One of the key players, Toto Wolff, has previously expressed satisfaction with the current line-up at Mercedes, which currently consists of drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. However, he is not dismissing the option of working with the four-time world champion. “Yet, I estimate the chance of it happening to be very small,” Wolff said about the possibility of Lewis Hamilton leaving Red Bull. “However, you don’t know what the world will look like in three or five years. So, you have to think ahead and also take the long term into consideration.”
Verstappen Aware of Horner’s Departure
In addition to rumors about a possible Mercedes move for his star driver, Marko also answered the question of whether Max Verstappen was aware of the impending departure of Christian Horner. Red Bull dismissed the Brit as team boss in early July, to the ‘great shock’ of Horner himself. “Max was informed about this,” Marko reveals. “I don’t want to say anything more about it.”
