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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has denied that Red Bull poached 220 employees from the German manufacturer’s engine division.

After confirming that Red Bull technical expert Adrian Newey will leave the team in 2025, Wolff and McLaren boss Zak Brown has claimed that there has been an increase in Red Bull staff CVs being sent out.

Horner responded by suggesting his team had attracted more than 200 employees from Mercedes, which has fallen down the pecking order in recent seasons.

Wolf responded to the allegation, telling the media including Racing News 365: “You have to work on the math – 19 engineers.

“So whatever those numbers are, I think there is a natural fluctuation between teams that come and go, which is completely normal.

“We have an engine department that is as good as it can be, with senior leadership.

“There is not one millimeter at HPP that should be different in terms of the organizational setup, and in terms of the people who work there and I am fortunate to interact with, it is an exemplary organization.”

Mercedes “standard”

Wolff stressed his confidence in Mercedes’ Formula 1 engine project, saying it has become the “standard” since the new 2014 power unit regulations.

“They offer their services, they have offered their services for a long time,” Wolff said. “Since 2014 we have been pretty much the standard, with maybe another engine, we have been the standard, and that has not changed.”

“I really can’t wait until 2026 [when the engines will undergo changes] To come and see the different levels of power unit performance.

While Mercedes has suffered major exits in recent weeks, including performance director Loic Serra and driver development director Jerome d’Ambrosio, team technical director James Allison confirmed that has not deterred the Brackley-based team.

“I don’t think there’s any point in making a comment about the stimulus,” he said.

“Obviously the team needs a critical mass of good, experienced people. We don’t want to see good, experienced people leave us.

“But we are also accumulating experienced and good people at a similar rate.

“So I think our job is to try to make sure that we act in a way that everyone would rather be with us than anywhere else.”