Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is doing his job by 'rubbing salt in the festering wound' at Red Bull according to veteran F1 Journalist

Veteran Italian journalist feels Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was simply doing his job by suggesting that he would be open to Verstappen joining his team.

The entire episode that is still ongoing began when an internal investigation against Christian Horner became public. The situation spilled over into the race weekend when Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, was seen having a lengthy chat with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

Since then, the drama seems to have escalated even further at Red Bull with rumors of Helmut Marko's suspension from the team making rounds after qualifying in Jeddah.

With Max Verstappen making it all but clear that he would leave Red Bull if Marko was to depart, Toto Wolff was questioned if he would be willing to sign the Dutch driver. As quoted by PlanetF1, the Austrian said:

“Let’s word it like this, I think this is a decision that Max needs to take but there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car.”

Speaking about the Mercedes boss' comments amid all the drama, veteran F1 journalist Leo Turini felt Toto Wolff was just doing his job. He wrote in his blog:

“Toto Wolff is doing his job, rubbing salt in the festering wound. And even here we don’t need Einstein: in an environment where everything is held, it was the great coup of John Elkann (read: Hamilton in red from 2025) that blew the cap. Because if a seven-time World Champion leaves Mercedes for Ferrari, it is clear that previously unthinkable hypotheses will multiply."

Turini doesn't rule out a possible Max Verstappen to Mercedes move

The F1 pundit did not agree with ongoing narrative that Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes for Ferrari has been the butterfly effect that kicked off the current series of events. He did, however, feel that the possibility of Max Verstappen moving to the German squad could not be dismissed.

He wrote:

“Let me explain better: I’m not saying that Horner’s saga was born from Lewis’ move. Of course, that’s another story. But Verstappen’s father, on behalf of his son, winks at Toto because he is about to open up a void. I won’t make any predictions. Post-modern F1 seems like a crazy anthill.”

With Lewis Hamilton leaving for Ferrari, there is a vacancy open at the German team. There have been multiple contenders trying to secure the seat, but nothing has become official yet. If Max Verstappen does leave Red Bull and shows interest in joining Toto Wolff's team, the Austrian would undoubtedly take up the offer in a heartbeat, given the Dutch driver's talent.