F1 News: Helmut Marko claims Jos Verstappen’s bond with Toto Wolff is stronger than with Christian Horner

Helmut Marko has stirred the pot by suggesting that Max Verstappen's father, Jos, has a closer relationship with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff than with Red Bull's Christian Horner. This comment comes after Wolff hinted at his efforts to recruit Max for a seat alongside George Russell at Mercedes next season.

“He wouldn't be a good team principal if he wouldn't try to get Max," Marko explained on the Inside Line podcast.

“I think every top team would like to have Max.

Marko's remarks seem to stem from recent events involving Horner, who faced allegations of misconduct earlier in the season. This situation led to a public dispute with Jos Verstappen, who criticized Horner's leadership and expressed concerns about the team's future.

Wolff's attempts to secure Max's services through his friendship with Jos were ultimately unsuccessful, but he remains optimistic about the possibility of Max joining Mercedes down the line.

Marko pointed out that every top team would want a driver of Max's caliber. He also noted that the close-knit environment of Monte Carlo, where many team members reside, makes it easy for people to run into each other, which may have fueled Wolff's narrative.

“The other story [of a meeting between Wolff and Verstappen's camp], all the people live in Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo, when it’s not the grand prix, it’s quite a quiet place. There are not so many coffee shops.

“So it's just natural that you run into each other, and of course, Toto makes a story out of it.

“On the other hand, Jos is a bigger fan of Toto than he is of Christian.”

Despite the speculation, Marko emphasized that Max is focused on the current championship. He highlighted that contracts for top drivers often include performance-based exit clauses. For now, Max's priority is winning, and Red Bull's goal is to provide him with a competitive car.

“Every contract with a top F1 driver has exit clauses which are mainly based on performance.

“At the moment, Max is focused on winning the championship, as a team is focused on winning the championship, and we have to look forward. 2026, there are new rules coming.

“Nobody knows at the moment who will have a competitive engine. [Look] what happened in 2014 when all of a sudden the engine we used was at least 50 horsepower or more behind and was not reliable, you really don't know what will happen.

Looking ahead, Marko acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the 2026 regulations and engine competitiveness. However, he reassured fans that Max will be driving for Red Bull next season, and the team is committed to delivering a car capable of securing victories.

“But at the moment, everything is clear. Max will drive for Red Bull Racing next season, and we have to give him a car that he can win, and then all these rumors will stop.”