Toto Wolff learns Mercedes staff 'are interviewing' to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has brought Toto Wolff back down to earth by claiming Mercedes staff are interviewing for jobs with his team. Wolff has been poking fun at Red Bull and Christian Horner in the aftermath of Adrian Newey’s departure last week, saying their staff are submitting CVs to all levels at Mercedes.

Newey’s exit from Red Bull has prompted speculation over further departures from the Milton Keynes team. McLaren CEO Zak Brown cheekily joked last week that CVs were “flying around” other teams, suggesting that some Red Bull staff are keen to find new jobs.

Mercedes team principal Wolff subsequently backed up that claim, prompting fury from his Red Bull counterpart Horner. But Vasseur says that Ferrari are interviewing prospective candidates who currently work at Mercedes.

“A lot of people from all the teams are doing a lot of interviews in Maranello. Including Mercedes," the Frenchman said when invited to wade into the row.

"I don't want to lose energy for the wrong topic. But I think we have a lot to do internally. We (Ferrari) have to improve. We have to recruit. We have to develop the car.

“We have a huge amount of time. We have a huge amount of work on the table. And I don't want to lose my energy and my time and my budget to fight with my colleagues. It's not my approach at all and I won't go on this field."

Wolff has attempted to play mind games with the Red Bull garage in recent weeks. Not content with flirting with the prospect of signing their top driver Max Verstappen, the Austrian claimed that Red Bull staff are attempting to earn jobs with his team.

Asked about Brown’s comments, Wolff said: “Zak is absolutely correct. We are seeing Red Bull CVs through all of the levels. But I would say this isn’t anything out of the extraordinary. People change teams and want to change environment.”

Irked by Wolff’s comments, Red Bull team principal Horner pointed out that Red Bull took 220 staff from Mercedes. Red Bull have been the dominant force over the last few seasons.

Horner said: “The two candidates involved talk a lot. I’m not going to get sucked in for a tit for tat. I would be more focused on Toto’s own issues that he has. I don’t have any concern with the strength and depth [of Red Bull].

“Of course there is always going to be movement between teams. I don’t know how many people we have employed by McLaren this year? Mercedes, we have taken 220 people. Two hundred and twenty out of HPP into Red Bull powertrains.”