Formula 1 News: Toto Wolff Dismisses Claim of Unpunished Incidents Influencing Verstappen’s Clash
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has rejected the notion that Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris in the Austrian Grand Prix was a result of unpunished incidents in the past. The incident, which occurred at Turn 3 with seven laps remaining, led to both drivers sustaining punctures and ultimately losing their chance at victory.
Norris was critical of Verstappen’s “reckless” moves under braking, which the stewards deemed worthy of a 10-second time penalty. However, Verstappen denied the accusations, and Wolff has now come to his defence. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella had suggested that the stewards’ lack of action against Verstappen’s aggressive battles with Lewis Hamilton in 2021 may have contributed to his uncompromising approach.
“I don’t think you can take this conclusion… It’s been so long and from our side. We are in a different place today, and I think he is. It takes two to tango.”
Wolff emphasized that he needed to watch the incident before forming an opinion, but he didn’t see a correlation between the 2021 incidents and the recent clash.
Wolff’s defense of Verstappen comes amid speculation that the Dutch driver may be a potential target for Mercedes in the future. While the team has made strides in competitiveness, Wolff acknowledges that they still need to improve their on-track speed to be a viable option for top drivers like Verstappen.
“We need two to crash at the front to win at the moment… I think we still need to look at ourselves and say what can we do to have a car that makes us able to race with these two in the front?”
The German marque’s recent upturn in form saw George Russell take advantage of the Verstappen-Norris incident to secure Mercedes’ first win since November 2022. However, Wolff admits that they need to unlock more performance to be in a position to secure victories on merit and attract top talent like Verstappen.
“This is a moment where we can say that we can be a harbour port, a destination for the best drivers, including Max. But we are not there yet,” Wolff concluded.
Formula 1 Standings: Verstappen’s Championship Lead Unaffected Despite Incident
Formula 1 Today: Mercedes and Red Bull Continue to Battle for Supremacy
Formula 1 Tyres: Pirelli’s Latest Compound Faces Test in Austrian GP
🔗 Source