Wolff Questions Red BullS Accusation After Qatar GP Incident
Lusail, Qatar – Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed disbelief following a radio exchange during the Qatar Grand Prix suggesting a intentional attempt by Mercedes to compromise Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen. The incident, occurring during a Safety Car period, involved Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Verstappen, ultimately costing the reigning champion crucial points in the championship standings.
The controversy stemmed from Antonelli losing position to Lando Norris, allowing Norris to extend his lead over Verstappen. Red Bull’s Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley immediately questioned Antonelli’s driving over team radio, suggesting a deliberate block to aid Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Wheatley’s comments were relayed to Wolff, prompting a heated exchange.
“How brainless do you have to be?” Wolff reportedly asked, stunned by the accusation.He later spoke with Red Bull’s GP Lambiase,who apologized,stating,”I said to GP… ther was probably quite a social media storm – Bradley [communications manager Bradley Lord] told me that. And GP said: ‘Sorry if I triggered that. I didn’t see the incident.'”
Wolff acknowledged the emotional context, noting, “He was of course emotional at the moment as he lost two points.” The lost points narrowed the gap between Verstappen and Norris to twelve points,meaning a third-place finish for Norris in Abu Dhabi is now sufficient to secure second in the championship,irrespective of Verstappen’s result.
Antonelli himself explained the incident, attributing it to a loss of control while pushing hard on hard tires. “I pushed pretty hard with the hard tires and at one point I got into DRS, but then I had a huge moment in Turn 9 and almost went off,” he said. “As a result, I went off the track and lost the position to Lando, which was very annoying.” He further explained the difficulty of driving in the turbulent air behind Carlos Sainz, leading to unpredictable car behavior and tire overheating. “But I went in a little faster and then suddenly lost the tail. I didn’t expect that and at such high speed I slipped off the track.”
Antonelli believes he could have defended fourth place had he not made the error, as Norris had been unable to pass despite utilizing DRS. “He came with a lot more pace, but in the turbulent air he simply couldn’t pass,” antonelli stated. “I was pretty relaxed because he was even outside the DRS window for a few laps. I felt like I could have held him,but I just made a mistake.”
Lando Norris, unsurprisingly, saw the situation differently, jokingly thanking Antonelli with a simple, “Thanks, Kimi.”
The 2025 Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at the Lusail International Circuit.
