Toto Wolff, CEO and Team Principal of Mercedes, delivered a measured assessment of the late-race collision between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ own George Russell during the 2025 F1 Spanish GP. Speaking to the media after a dramatic conclusion in Barcelona, Wolff addressed the contact that ultimately saw Verstappen penalised and Russell narrowly salvage fourth place despite damage.
Collision between Verstappen and Russell after late Safety Car restart
The most notable moment of the 2025 F1 Spanish GP came after a late Safety Car restart saw Verstappen collide with Russell. Although Russell sustained damage from the incident, he managed to bring his car home in fourth place. Meanwhile, the Stewards handed an unrepentant Verstappen a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his licence after deeming him responsible for causing the collision.
Wolff unaware of Red Bull team orders to Verstappen
Following the race, Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff addressed the media, offering his perspective on the incident during the 2025 F1 Spanish GP. He initially believed Verstappen had been experiencing a technical issue with his RB21, which would have explained his reduced pace out of Turn 4. However, Wolff revealed that this understanding changed after the chequered flag.
“I just heard, actually, that Max had the call to let him pass, right? I didn’t know. We were under the impression in the race that he had a problem with the car, and that’s why he was so slow getting out of [Turn 4].”
Speculation over Verstappen’s intentions
Wolff admitted that he struggled to interpret Verstappen’s motivations in the moment. He suggested that the Red Bull driver might have been attempting to execute a strategic manoeuvre—allowing Russell through in order to activate DRS and re-pass him at a more opportune section of the circuit. However, he also acknowledged that other interpretations had emerged in the wake of the incident.
“I mean, if it was road rage, which I can’t imagine, because it was too obvious, then it’s not good. But the thing is, I don’t know what he aimed for. Did he want to let George pass and immediately repass, put George the car ahead? Then, like the old DRS games, letting him pass the right way?”
“Or… for me, it’s just incomprehensible. But again, I don’t know exactly what the motivations were, and I don’t want to jump on it and saying, you know, this was road rage, et cetera. Let’s see what his arguments are. It wasn’t nice.”
Reflections on Verstappen’s racecraft
When asked to elaborate on Verstappen’s approach to racing, Wolff drew parallels between the Dutchman and other sporting legends. He remarked that some elite athletes often operate under the belief that the world is against them, a mindset which drives their relentless pursuit of excellence. However, he added that this same mentality could sometimes prevent them from accepting fault.
“You know, there’s a pattern that I’ve read, the great ones, whether it’s in motor racing or in other sports, you just need to have the world against you and perform at the highest possible level.”
“That’s why sometimes these greats don’t recognise that actually the world is not against you, it’s just you who has… you have made a mistake or you’ve screwed up, et cetera, et cetera.”
He added: “So, we haven’t seen any of these moments with Max for many years now. Obviously, I know the year 2021 that happened, and I don’t know where it comes from.”
