After Verstappen flirtation

Horner taunts Mercedes team boss Wolff

It is no secret that Toto Wolff is a fan of Max Verstappen, nor is it a secret that the Viennese would like to sign the three-time world champion. Even though the Mercedes team boss has to put up with provocative comments from Christian Horner ...

The fact that Wolff has repeatedly raved about the Dutchman in recent weeks and months obviously displeases the Briton. "His time would perhaps be better spent concentrating on the team and not on the driver market," Horner therefore made clear during the China GP, but at the same time assured him, "I can assure you that there is no uncertainty about where Max will be next year."

Verstappen will probably stay with Red Bull.(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

From a sporting point of view, there are currently few reasons for Verstappen to leave the Bulls' stable, as the 26-year-old is once again driving superiorly towards the world championship title this year. However, the unrest within the team - triggered by alleged sex messages from Horner to a former employee - had led to rumors that the Dutchman was considering an early departure.

Driver swap?
Mercedes, meanwhile, is looking for a successor to Lewis Hamilton, who will be driving for Ferrari from 2025. Reports recently made the rounds that the two teams would simply swap drivers, meaning that George Russell would have Carlos Sainz as his team-mate. Verstappen, on the other hand, will probably stay with Red Bull Racing - much to the delight of team boss Horner ...