Toto Wolff Slams Red Bull’s ‘Brainless’ Antonelli Claim in Norris Dispute
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, vehemently denied accusations from Red Bull Racing that Mercedes instructed driver Kimi Antonelli too allow McLaren’s Lando Norris to pass during the Qatar Grand Prix, a move Red bull suggested was intended to aid Norris’s championship challenge against Max Verstappen. The controversy erupted following Verstappen’s win in Qatar on November 30, 2025, with the formula One title to be decided at the season finale in Abu dhabi.
The claims, initially made by Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over team radio and later amplified by Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, allege antonelli deliberately yielded position to Norris. Wolff dismissed the suggestion as “total, utter nonsense,” emphasizing mercedes’ own competitive interests in securing second place in the constructors’ championship and a potential podium finish for Antonelli in the drivers’ standings. The accusations come as norris trails Verstappen in the driver standings, with the championship outcome hinging on the final race.
According to reports, Lambiase questioned Antonelli’s actions, stating he “pulled over and let Lando through.” Marko later called the incident ”so obvious,” claiming Norris was “waved” through. Wolff responded sharply, stating, “How brainless can you be to even say something like this?” he expressed frustration with the race’s overall performance and internal errors, adding that the accusations were particularly aggravating.
Wolff stated he directly addressed the issue with Lambiase after the race,explaining Antonelli’s slower pace was due to a prior loss of control. ”He just went off. He had a bit of a moment in the previous corner and then less entry speed into the left-hander. It can happen,” Wolff explained. He questioned red Bull’s motive in making the accusation, asking, ”Why would we do this? Why would we even think about interfering in a driver championship?” He concluded by suggesting Red Bull was “seeing ghosts.”