TOTO WOLFF has joked that Helmut Marko could play a role at Mercedes.
It comes after reports suggested Marko could be forced out of his role as a Red Bull advisor.
The 80-year-old has been placed under investigation by Red Bull and will hold a meeting with Austrian team’s chief Oliver Mintzlaff in Saudi Arabia today.
This enquiry is said to be related to the leaking of WhatsApp messages from an anonymous email claiming to be evidence of the internal report relating to the Christian Horner investigation.
Marko, an ex-Formula One and winner of the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans, told Austrian broadcaster ORF: “It’s difficult to judge, or let’s put it this way, ultimately, I’ll decide for myself what I do.
“The theoretical possibility [of suspension] always exists. It’s such a complex issue. Again, we want peace in the team.
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“This world championship will be difficult enough with 24 races and we have to concentrate on that.”
Amid the exit rumours, Wolff cheekily commented before the Saudi GP: “Marko could take the old place of Niki Lauda at Mercedes.
“We are missing our old mascot anyway. Then we’ll just take Helmut! He fits in terms of age. He doesn’t have a red cap, but he can come to us.
“Helmut is not a child of sadness and was – or is – our favourite enemy. But he is a real racer. If Helmut leaves, it is certainly a loss for Red Bull and for the team.”
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Marko’s future at Red Bull is set to be intertwined with Max Verstappen, who unequivocablly backed the Austrian.
The three-time F1 champion told reporters: “I am loyal to Helmut. He is a big and important part in my decision making and important he stays within the team including everyone else.
“It is important we keep people together because if an important pillar falls away, that is not good for my career as well.
“So for me, Helmut has to stay. He has built this team with [Red Bull co-founder] Dietrich Mateschitz from day one and been loyal.
“You need to give the man respect for what he has done and that comes back to loyalty and integrity and is important to why he stays part of the team.”
A BBC Sport report claims a Red Bull source told them the plan was to suspend Marko, though a spokesperson later said: “That’s news to us.”
Marko’s removal from his role would in theory allow Verstappen to break his £43million-a-year deal with Red Bull, paving a way for him to potentially join Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton‘s replacement in 2025.
He won an internal power struggle with Horner last year when he was awarded a new contract despite a dispute with the team principle.
Horner, 50, was cleared after an internal report dismissed a claim from a female employee.
SunSport revealed earlier this week that the employee who raised the initial complaint had been suspended on full pay.
It triggered a fallout between Verstappen’s father Jos, who said Horner remaining at the team would cause it to “explode”.
A fresh attack from Verstappen Snr saw him say it was “too late” for Horner to draw a line under the sexting scandal which had engulfed F1.
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The 52-year-old told the Mail: “I think it’s a bit too late for that now. If that’s what he wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible.”
Verstappen claimed pole in Jeddah by more than three tenths of a second and is looking to make it back-to-back wins to start the 2024 F1 season.
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
