Toto Wolff explains the strict transparency keeping Mercedes F1 united
With Andrea Kimi Antonelli rapidly closing in on the 2026 world drivers' championship and veteran George Russell battling through relentless grid penalties on the opposite side of the garage, the internal dynamics at the Mercedes F1 Team could easily fracture under the pressure. However, team principal Toto Wolff has actively engineered a garage culture strictly built on equal treatment to ...…
Team principal Toto Wolff has praised Red Bull, as Mercedes grapples with concerns over recent upgrade developments. Wolff highlighted three key factors behind Red Bull's impressive performance improvements: the car itself, the development process, and the exceptional abilities of their driver, Max Verstappen. Mercedes, still uncertain about the effectiveness of their recent upgrade package, opted to test the new setup during Singapore's race weekend.
Kimi Antonio drove the new car alongside his teammate George Russell, who ran the older configuration. Red Bull's modifications to the floor, diffuser, sidepods, mirrors, and halo for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix have evidently paid off, as evidenced by Max Verstappen's first victory of the season and a second consecutive win in Singapore.
Wolff emphasized that Red Bull's overall package, combined with Verstappen's skill, has resulted in superior performance. When Mercedes shifted to the new car during the sprint weekend, they aimed to accelerate their learning curve with two different cars. While the upgrade showed promise, it was not yet delivering the desired performance.
Despite this, the team believes the new car signifies progress and hopes to continue improving ahead of the upcoming Austin race, crucial for setting the direction for the next season.
Written by urgent.news from Motorsport.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
