Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has downplayed Max Verstappen’s record-breaking Formula 1 victory at the Italian Grand Prix, dismissing it as “for Wikipedia.”
Verstappen’s remarkable achievement saw him secure his 10th consecutive win at Monza, setting an all-time F1 record and further solidifying his charge towards a third consecutive world title.
Verstappen’s triumph at Monza marked his 12th victory out of 14 races in the 2023 season, underlining his dominance.
However, Wolff, in a subtle jab at Red Bull’s continued supremacy, was unimpressed by Verstappen’s historic feat.
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“Our situation was a little bit different because we had two guys fighting against each other within the team,” Wolff remarked during an interview with Sky.
He continued, “I don’t know whether he [Verstappen] cares about the record. It’s not something that would bother me, any of those numbers.
“It’s for Wikipedia – nobody reads that, anyway.”
Despite Verstappen’s impressive performance, the Italian Grand Prix proved to be a challenging race for Mercedes.
George Russell secured a modest fifth-place finish, with teammate Lewis Hamilton one position behind.
Reflecting on the race, Wolff acknowledged the difficulties Mercedes faced, stating, “Lots of incidents.
“You have to be careful not to be too happy about fifth and sixth.
“I think we maximised the points, for what was there today.”
Both Russell and Hamilton received five-second time penalties for separate infractions during the race, although these penalties had no bearing on their final results.
Wolff conceded, “I think both penalties you can justify.
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“We will look at data for how we can prevent it in the future.”
With Verstappen’s success at Monza, Red Bull are clearly on for the Constructors’ title this season with that result, while the Dutchman grew his own lead in the Drivers’ race to 145 points.
Depending on the result in Singapore and around the Suzuka circuit, Verstappen could potentially claim the title by Japan.