Toto Wolff denies that there’s any correlation between the quite a few incidents involving Max Verstappen in 2021 and his conflict with Lando Norris in Austria.
The Mercedes boss was reacting to Andrea Stella’s declare that yesterday’s incident was on account of the truth that the game’s powers that be have been too lenient in the direction of the Dutchman up to now.
“In the event you do not tackle this stuff actually, they’ll come again,” Stella instructed Sky Sports activities within the aftermath of yesterday’s race. “They’ve come again at the moment as a result of they weren’t addressed correctly up to now when there have been some fights with Lewis Hamilton.
“That wanted to be punished in a harsher manner,” he added. “Then, you discover ways to race in a sure manner, which we are able to contemplate honest and sq..”
“I do not assume you’ll be able to take this conclusion,” mentioned Wolff, when instructed of the Italian’s declare. “It has been so lengthy and from our facet,” he continued. We’re in a special place at the moment, and I believe he’s.
“It takes two to tango,” he added. “I have not seen Lando and Max’s race to be trustworthy. I have not seen how all of that took place. I first want to look at it earlier than I’ve an opinion however I would not see that as a giant consequence of 2021 not having been managed effectively to what occurred in 2024. I do not assume they’ve a correlation.”
Though delighted along with his workforce’s win since 2022, Wolff is all too conscious that it was by default and that there’s nonetheless a lot work to be finished… particularly if Mercedes is to tempt Max Verstappen to make the transfer to the Three Pointed Star.
We want two to crash on the entrance to win in the intervening time,” he mentioned. “I believe we nonetheless want to have a look at ourselves and say what can we do to have a automotive that makes us in a position to race with these two within the entrance? And do it extra repeatedly.
“It is a second the place we are able to say that we generally is a harbour port, a vacation spot for the very best drivers, together with Max,” he added. “However we aren’t there but so I am not even… if I used to be him, I’d not be even contemplating such a transfer… but.”
Take a look at our Sunday gallery from the Pink Bull Ring right here.