Toto Wolff opens up on Max Verstappen ‘mistake’ after relying on...

Toto Wolff opens up on Max Verstappen ‘mistake’ after relying on…read more.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, has admitted to making a “mistake” in his relationship with Max Verstappen and his camp, specifically regarding the events following the 2021 British Grand Prix. The incident in question occurred when Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, was involved in a heavy crash at Silverstone after colliding with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap at the high-speed Copse corner. Verstappen was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks, while Hamilton went on to win the race despite a 10-second penalty for causing the collision.

In the aftermath of the crash, tensions between Mercedes and Red Bull escalated, with Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, calling for Hamilton to be banned. Verstappen, watching from the hospital, also criticized Hamilton’s post-race celebrations, describing them as “disrespectful.” Despite the intensity of the situation, Wolff has expressed regret for not personally checking on Verstappen’s condition.

Wolff explained that after the race, he did not call Verstappen’s father, Jos, which he now acknowledges was a mistake. At the time, Wolff relied on information from Red Bull engineer Paul Monaghan, who informed him that Verstappen was fine. Wolff admitted that his judgement was clouded by the emotions of the day, and that as a father of a go-karting child, he should have been more empathetic towards Verstappen’s situation.

“I think where we had a moment was after Silverstone,” Wolff said. “That season really took some toll on all of us. It was so intense, each of us felt that things weren’t right. Where it really went wrong is that I made a mistake after Silverstone. I didn’t call Jos on the same day, which I should have done… I was told by Paul Monaghan in the pit lane that Max was fine… And in a way, I relied on that information, rather than picking up the phone and calling Jos.”

Verstappen later revealed that the crash had long-lasting effects on him, including blurred vision in some races, which impacted his performance. He compared driving at the 2021 United States Grand Prix in Austin, where he secured a crucial victory, to “driving a speedboat at 300kph.”

Wolff admitted that the relationship between Mercedes and the Verstappens deteriorated as the 2021 season progressed, particularly during the final races in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. The controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi, which saw Verstappen win his first World Championship after a dramatic last-lap overtake on Hamilton, further strained relations between the two camps. However, Wolff noted that the relationship has since recovered and returned to a healthier state.

“Then obviously the disaster Abu Dhabi and the races leading up to Saudi Arabia, we weren’t in a good place,” Wolff added. “We were on the same wavelength in the year afterwards, we went back into a good position. And today, or the last couple of years, [it’s] as good as it was at the beginning [of our relationship].”

Despite the intense rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton, Wolff has made no secret of his admiration for the Dutch driver. Mercedes has been persistently linked with a move for Verstappen, with Wolff expressing his desire to sign the reigning three-time World Champion. However, Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until 2028, making any move unlikely in the near future.

In light of Hamilton’s recent decision to join Ferrari on a multi-year contract from 2025, Mercedes has shifted its focus to teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Reports suggest that Mercedes is preparing to announce Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor, with the young driver set to drive Hamilton’s car in opening practice at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza as part of his preparations for a potential F1 debut in 2025.

Reflecting on his relationship with Verstappen, Wolff recalled their first meeting in his living room in Vienna when Verstappen was a rising star in single-seaters. He described their relationship as being built on mutual respect, with an understanding of how things should work for both parties.

“We’ve had a very good relationship since Max came on our radar, racing single-seaters,” Wolff said. “Our meeting in my living room in Vienna was the first big Formula 1 meeting they did… That respect for each other always stayed.”