Toto Wolff Clarifies: No Conversation With Oliver Mintzlaff About Mick Schumacher

In Germany, not a week goes by without a new rumor about Mick Schumacher. The latest speculation made the rounds ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. Accordingly, Toto Wolff is said to have made requests to Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlapp to accommodate the test driver at Red Bull.

Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko did not want to comment on the story when asked by ‘Motorsport-Total.com’: “I don’t comment on that,” he declined, pointing out that he had “no details” about the rumours. . At the same time, he makes it clear that he has no problem with Schumacher, who is often accused: “I have nothing against me, it does not apply to us.”

But Toto Wolff is now clarifying what the rumors are: “I never spoke to the Red Bull management about whether Mick could be there,” says the Mercedes team boss on the sidelines of the Canadian Grand Prix. Because in his opinion it would be a “waste of time” anyway.

The story raised eyebrows among some viewers. If Wolff really trusted Schumacher as he says, why would he report him to his biggest rival in Formula 1?

Wolff: “Schumacher was burned”

Wolff has insisted in the past that he always wanted to support Schumacher to get his career back on track. That’s not an easy task after a difficult 2022 season at Haas, including at times harsh criticism from team principal Gunther Steiner: “To be honest, I think he was burned out last year,” Wolff says.

He underlined: “I think whoever wants him will get a good driver. But ultimately the other teams have to decide for themselves which drivers they want. I can’t tell the teams we have signed that they have to use our backup driver. But I think they missed something. .”

For Mercedes “it is an advantage to have a mature, successful and experienced Formula 1 driver in the team supporting us. In the simulator and in his opinion. It would be a huge advantage if he sat in some European races. Friday evening in the simulator and generating data for Saturday.”

Mercedes has no long-term perspective

“Also: if one of our drivers ever gets fish poisoning – or in Lewis’s case, butter poisoning – we know we have a big guy in the car who can drive well. But I really like this situation. I like it a lot from the team’s point of view, and I want Mick to race himself. .”

A perspective that Wolff Schumacher cannot provide. It was clear from the start that Mercedes would not have a racing cockpit in the 24-year-old’s future. George Russell has been set there for a long time and Lewis Hamilton is said to be on the verge of a contract extension. By the end of 2025, rumors are in store.