Toto Wolff on Max Verstappen: The director of the Mercedes team says that “the great sportsmen sometimes think that the world is against them” | F1 News
The director of the Mercedes team, Toto Wolff, believes that adults in sport “sometimes think that the world is against them” in the light of the controversial incident of Max Verstappen with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Russell clashed twice during the Sunday race after a late security car, but the second contact around 5 of their battle for the fourth “seemed deliberate” according to driver Mercedes.
On Monday, Verstappen admitted that his move “should not have happened” and the boss of Red Bull, Christian Horner, revealed that his driver apologized to the team.
Before Verstappen accepted the blame for hitting Russell, Wolff was asked about the temperament of the Dutch after Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton suffered a battle for one season against him in 2021.
He said: “There is a model that I recognized with the big ones, whether in motor racing or in other sports.
“You just need to have the world against you, then you allow yourself at the highest possible level. This is why, sometimes, these greats do not recognize that in fact, the world is not against you, it is just you who made a mistake, or you have messed up.
“We have not seen any of these moments with Max for many years now. I know 2021, it happened, but I don’t know where it comes from.”
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Look at new images of my on board Max Verstappen while he and George Russell meet in a controversial moment during the last laps of the Spanish Grand Prix
Wolff: Difficult to see many positive points of triple-thiever
Russell finished fourth in Spain behind the McLaren one-two of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, as well as Charles Leclerc de Ferrari.
It was his best result of the European triple head after being seventh in Imola and 11th in Monaco. His teammate Mercedes Kimi Antonelli failed to score points on the three races after two engine failures and a disappointing monaco.
“It is difficult to see many positive points, apart from the trajectory, which seemed to be a little better in tire management,” said Wolff.
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The Max Verstappen of Red Bull entered controversial collision with George Russell towards the end of the Spanish Grand Prix – winning a 10 -second penalty
“But we have to see if it was an engine failure with Kimi in Spain, it clearly looks like that at first glance. [normally] Our strength, we must therefore see where it comes from.
“But overall, it is important to understand the tires, because it will be a factor next year, an important factor next year, beyond all sports and technical regulations.”
Mercedes fell third in the manufacturers’ championship behind Ferrari and is 203 points behind the McLaren flight leaders.
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A dramatic restart at the Spanish GP sees Max Verstappen colliding with Charles Leclerc and George Russell after Kimi Antonelli’s retreat
Mercedes seems to fight in warmer conditions when the degradation of the tires is higher, which, according to Wolff, is “composed in the design” and a part of “DNA” of a car.
“Even if we are a big organization with many scientists and engineers, you sometimes don’t know why a car does something,” he added.
“I am not sure that McLaren knows exactly why they are so fast, because it comes down to marginal gains and details and just good engineering.
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Kimi Antonelli had an in -depth discussion with Ted Kravitz, reflecting on his life growing up, his first season in Formula 1 with Mercedes and his hopes for the future
“Our car, generally over the years, was struggling more with overheating of the rear tire than the others. We were always very strong when it was cold and it was not a problem.
“If you look at Las Vegas last year, we came out of the first flying round, the driver said:” This car is great, we have so much grip like never before “. All the other pilots said:” There is literally no handle “, they slipped.
“It is certainly something that is intrinsic in the car. You can hide or worsen with the installation instructions, but it is something that is in the car.”
The Formula 1 2025 season stops for breathing after the European triple head before resuming live Sky Sports F1 With the Canadian Grand Prix from June 13 to 15. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time.
