Mar.27 (GMM) Followers of Toto Wolff shouldn’t search for the Mercedes staff boss and co-owner at Suzuka.
“It’s true, I received’t be in Japan,” the Austrian confirmed. “(Communications boss) Bradley Lord might be standing in for me there.
“He chooses his phrases extra rigorously than I do anyway.”
Prior to now few years, because the calendar swelled, Wolff has sat out one or two of the longer-haul races. Nevertheless it’s a really busy time for the Austrian – in a detailed struggle with the opposite three main groups, and already tackling questions concerning the driver lineup for 2026.
His 18-year-old protege Kimi Antonelli changed Lewis Hamilton this yr and has impressed to date, however much more spectacular has been his skilled teammate George Russell, whose quiet consistency means he’s solely a single level behind Max Verstappen’s P2 within the drivers’ standings.
Nonetheless, 27-year-old Russell’s contract runs out on the finish of the yr. Wolff appears very proud of Mercedes’ senior driver.
“I’ve at all times stated that he’s one of many high drivers on the market,” Wolff stated. “If you would like me to call three that I take into account the highest drivers, he’s completely in these three, if not the highest two, and perhaps on his strategy to the highest one.”
Nonetheless, he was fairly coy in Shanghai when requested if he would snap up Max Verstappen if the chance to signal him all of the sudden arose for 2026.
“Toto Wolff was very passive, you’d need to say,” former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher advised Sky Deutschland. “And when somebody like that’s calm, you’ll be able to clearly inform that one thing is already occurring within the background.
“For him, it’s a luxurious drawback. The query, after all, is what does he do? As a result of he has two drivers who’re near his coronary heart. George Russell, who’s at present combating for his future, which may be very clear – you’ll be able to actually inform.
“And in addition Kimi Antonelli, who he thinks extremely of,” Schumacher added.
For now, Wolff’s greater focus is perhaps on closing the hole to McLaren and charging for the present championship.
“We’re not but the place we need to be,” he stated. “We are going to solely be glad once we are profitable races once more and combating for championships.
“However you can also make up two tenths, even three tenths. I wouldn’t say we’re actually within the title race but, however we’re not far behind.”
