Helmut Marko blames Toto Wolff’s political tactics for Red Bull refusing to sign Mick Schumacher

Mick Schumacher's future is uncertain in F1 after he was axed by Haas in 2022

Helmut Marko, Toto Wolff and Mick Schumacher( Credits : Planet F1 and Mercedes AMG)

Pierre Gasly departed AlphaTauri and was replaced by Nyck de Vries for 2023. However, Helmut Marko, advisor at Red Bull, has revealed, speaking to SportF1, that their primary target was ex-Haas driver Mick Schumacher. Marko disclosed that discussions between Mick Schumacher and Red Bull were abruptly terminated, with him attributing the halt to Toto Wolff engaging in political maneuvers against the Austrian team.

Helmut Marko mentioned that it came up in a meeting, where it was revealed that Toto Wolff used political tactics against Red Bull with the FIA to prevent the move of Mick Schumacher from going through to Red Bull. He reiterated that Mick Schumacher is a Mercedes driver and that Wolff was responsible for managing him.

Marko said, “It was mentioned at a meeting. It’s just stupid that Mr Wolff, at the same time, openly made politics against us with the FIA again. With that, the topic was off the table. Why should we sign Schumacher? He is a Mercedes driver; Mr Wolff is responsible for him.”

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Helmut Marko’s remarks effectively dashed Mick Schumacher’s prospects at AlphaTauri, compelling the young driver to seek alternative options. While the specific nature of the politics used by Toto Wolff referenced by Marko remains unclear, it was significant enough to cause the Red Bull advisor to terminate the negotiations, leaving him visibly frustrated.

Mick Schumacher is now a reserve driver at Mercedes under the mentorship of Toto Wolff. He is a spectator on the sidelines at the moment but is targeting a return behind the wheel in 2024.

Helmut Marko has been accused of harboring a vendetta against the Schumacher name

Ralf Schumacher, Sky F1 pundit, asserts that Helmut Marko is biased against the Schumacher family name. The Sky presenter believes Mick Schumacher would have been a fitting teammate for Yuki Tsunoda in 2023 rather than Nyck de Vries. Mick Schumacher’s departure from Haas after the 2022 season resulted from his inability to meet the competitiveness expectations set by his team.

The young driver consistently lagged behind his experienced teammate Kevin Magnussen, leading to his removal from the American squad. Coinciding with this, Pierre Gasly’s decision to join Alpine opened up an opportunity for Mick to potentially become Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate at AlphaTauri. However, according to Ralf Schumacher, Helmut Marko disregarded Mick as a candidate for the AlphaTauri seat for reasons related to the Schumacher family name.

Helmut Marko on mick Schumacher to alpha tauri: "He's a Mercedes driver and he's not in our plans. Accordingly, Toto Wolff is responsible for him.” pic.twitter.com/RVpjq51nNy
— Xava?? (@XavaBlue) May 13, 2023

Despite AlphaTauri closing its door to Mick Schumacher, team principal Franz Tost remains optimistic that it won’t be long before the talented German driver finds his way back onto the grid. “I can only hope for him that he can come back as a regular driver,” said Tost. “Because I’m convinced he has what it takes to be a very good Formula 1 driver. And that has nothing to do with the magic of his name,” he added.

The Mick Schumacher saga has been exciting, with several having opinions on what transpired or where he should go next. For now, the young German will prioritize staying fit and focused on a grid comeback should an opportunity present itself soon.