F1 News: Helmut Marko casts HUGE Mercedes move verdict after Toto Wolff offer

Helmut Marko and Toto Wolff chat on the phone, with a black background behind them — Photo: © IMAGO

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Marko casts HUGE Mercedes move verdict after Wolff offer

The Austrian's future at Red Bull has been called into question

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 11 March 2024 18:57

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has opened up on rumours surrounding his future with the world champions.

The 80-year-old revealed during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend that he was set to have a meeting with Red Bull GmbH managing director Oliver Mintzlaff to discuss his future within the team.

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While that meeting is understood to have taken place on the morning of race day in Jeddah with 'very good conversations', the situation is not fully clarified, with Max Verstappen giving his team an ultimatum surrounding Marko during the weekend.

Toto Wolff suggested that he would be open to taking both Verstappen and Marko at Mercedes, with the Brackley-based team in need of a driver in 2025, and potentially some fresh thinking after a poor start to the season.

Helmut Marko's Red Bull future is in doubt

Toto Wolff has been coy on Max Verstappen's availability

Marko's Red Bull future in doubt

Now, the Austrian has been speaking about the ongoing saga at Red Bull, claiming that the speculation linking him to the leaked messages that were allegedly sent by Christian Horner to a female colleague was untrue.

"Well, I have to quote Lauda here: 'That’s complete nonsense,'" he told Sky Germany.

"I'm happy if I can use my phone to some extent. I have never seen the report or viewed any of these chats and have deliberately stayed out of it.

"He's [Oliver Mintzlaff] only been here since 4 pm, but I see it going up and down. He has had many discussions and he is also meeting with the second managing director of Red Bull in Dubai tomorrow to meet the Thai shareholder.

When talking about Wolff's offer, the 80-year-old said: "That's very nice, but at the moment I can gratefully decline this offer."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Charles Leclerc Toto Wolff