Mercedes has been struggling to repeat their turbo-hybrid era dominance since the 2021 season. The Silver Arrows have been demoted from consistent winners to 3rd best team after being dethroned by Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
Hence in desperation, Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff tried to lure Adrian Newey to his camp. There are reports that some of Wolff’s assistants were involved in offering a position to Red Bull’s Chief Technology Officer.
However, the Austrian’s aides were laughed off by Newey. The Briton will most likely continue with the Austrian side for a couple more years.
Helmut Marko mocks Toto Wolff for attempting to poach
Toto Wolff has remained optimistic about Mercedes’s revival. The Austrian claims his team can overcome the shortfalls if they keep their heads down and push for excellence. However, it seems he has become quite impatient with the silver arrows’ lack of performance on the track.
Red Bull team adviser Helmut Marko mocked Mercedes boss for his failed attempt to land Newey. He told to F1 Insider “Mr Wolff may not seem to have complete confidence in his people fix the problems with their car.”
Earlier Christian Horner affirmed that Newey will remain with the team despite interest from other teams. Horner said, “He’s such an important part of our team, it’s only natural for us to continue working together,”
Newey is considered by many to be the greatest designer in the history of the sport. He has won 11 constructors championships and has worked for the likes of Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull.
The aero mastermind has been at Red Bull for the past 17 years and has been an integral part of their rise. Ahead of the 2023 Miami GP, Newey signed a contract extension with Red Bull. He earns $10 Million a year based on his current contract.
Red Bull employees reject Ferrari’s advances
Toto Wolff was inspired to lure Adrian Newey based on Aston Martin’s recent success. The British outfit managed to land Red Bull’s former head of aerodynamics, Dan Fallows taking up the role of technical director. Since his joining Aston has enjoyed a meteoric rise.
However, Mercedes wasn’t the only team keen on signing Red Bull talent. Their rivals Ferrari too were interested in singing Enrico Balbo and Pierre Wache, Red Bull’s Head of Aerodynamics and Technical Director for 2024.
However, the Italian team’s advances have been unsuccessful. The negotiations have come to half after Ferrari fail to land the duo as they chase their first title in 17 years.
Helmut Marko showed no remorse for Ferrari’s intent to poach Red Bull’s top brass. He said, “We all want Ferrari to be competitive. But that’s not how it works. We’re not in an Arab bazaar. Apart from the fact that our Waché doesn’t want to change at all.
However, Red Bull has benefitted from the position swaps emerging in the past few weeks. The Maranello-outfits’ assistant team principal Laurent Mekies, will be joining AlphaTauri as their team principal from the 2024 season onwards.
