Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and former Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen appear to be back on speaking terms after their intense feud in 2021.
A great deal of respected existed between the pair prior to last year when the Verstappens were keeping their options open amid Red Bull’s efforts to climb back to the front of the grid.
The now 24-year-old had a performance clause in his contract allowing him to move to another team if the results were not sufficient to warrant him staying, and Mercedes would certainly have been keeping an eye on developments over at Milton Keynes.
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But the Dutchman was given a sublime car last season and, coupled with his immense talent, he overcame a tumultuous title battle with Sir Lewis Hamilton to claim his maiden championship.
Such was the volatile situation on track though, that it began to translate to the teams, and Christian Horner and Wolff often engaged in petulant arguments away from the racetrack, adding fuel to an already combustible situation.
The pin was pulled on Jos’ relationship with Wolff at last year’s British Grand Prix when Hamilton and Max made contact on the opening lap of the race, sending the reigning champion into the barrier in a 51G crash.
The 37-year-old went on to take victory despite receiving a penalty for the collision, and the avid celebrations from the Brackley-based squad angered Jos, whose respect for the Austrian plummeted.
“It is not there any more. “I don’t like his attitude. I don’t like how he behaved, starting at Silverstone,” he said back in December.
“One of the drivers was in hospital and they are on the podium celebrating as if they’ve won the world championship.”
The Dutchman divulged that Wolff had not sent so much as a text message asking if Max was okay.
“I didn’t think Toto was like that but I learned about a different Wolff. We didn’t have any contact from him, any message or whatever,” he added.
“And to think he had spoken to us in the new year: I am not saying he was trying to bring Max over at that stage, but let’s say we had a good relationship before Silverstone.”
He also indicated that there had been discussions about a prospective seat at Mercedes for his son, but he affirmed that he no longer had an interest in sharing pleasantries with the 50-year-old.
“There have been conversations with Toto Wolff and I also thought we had a good relationship with him, but the real Toto has shown himself lately,” explained Jos.
However, at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Jos was conducting some media commitments when Wolff walked up to him and shook his hand, much to the bewilderment of the two-time podium finisher.
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“That was the first contact I’ve had with Toto since Silverstone 2021,” he said, quoted by F1-Insider.
Max’s Red Bull team leapfrogged the struggling Mercedes with their one-two finish in Imola two weeks ago, and will be seeking to continue that forward momentum this weekend in Miami.