Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff Uncertain About Red Bull’s Pace in Formula 1
Following a string of intense races, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has expressed uncertainty about whether Red Bull has lost its edge in the current Formula 1 season. Despite Max Verstappen’s dominant start to the campaign, the Dutch driver and his team have faced stiff competition in recent races, with two losses in the last four grands prix.
Wolff believes the entire grid has made significant progress, resulting in a convergence of performance at the top. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he stated, “The last few races were more difficult for them [Red Bull]. I think everybody has been taking good steps forward.”
Mercedes Technical Director James Allison had previously suggested that Red Bull’s recent upgrades might have been “downgrades,” a claim denied by Christian Horner. While Wolff refrained from commenting on his colleague’s remarks, he acknowledged that the battle at the sharp end of the grid has become more competitive.
“We’ve had two or three teams that could have potentially won the race [in Canada], maybe us not quite,” Wolff said. “I don’t know whether they’ve [Red Bull] taken a step backward. The most important thing is it [the gap] is shrinking.”
Mercedes, along with Ferrari and McLaren, has made significant strides in recent weeks, securing pole position and a podium finish with George Russell in Canada. However, Wolff remains cautious about whether his team’s improved pace will translate to more conventional circuits. “I hope it [the performance in Canada] is not track-related,” he added.
Wolff expects Red Bull to bounce back at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, which he believes will be a good test of the teams’ overall performance. “Maybe Barcelona will be interesting, whether they are strong there,” he previewed. “Austria is their territory. McLaren was strong there last year when they had their comeback. That’s never a good one for us.”
The Mercedes boss emphasized that Red Bull remains the benchmark, but other teams, such as McLaren and Ferrari, have also made significant progress. “You can’t discount Max and the Red Bulls, they are still the benchmark, they are right up there,” he said. “But McLaren has made huge steps, and don’t forget Ferrari, they were not visible [in Canada], but two weeks ago [in Monaco] they were the benchmark.”
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