Wolff urges ‘common sense’ after Marko’s F1 stewards comments
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says it is important to view incidents with “common sense” after Helmut Marko claimed Red Bull is being treated differently by the stewards.
Title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were caught up in multiple incidents last Sunday in Jeddah that led to the stewards handing Verstappen two penalties.
After being told to give Hamilton a position back after an off-track pass earlier in the race, Verstappen was later hit with a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when defending the lead.
Verstappen was also given a 10-second penalty post-race for causing a collision after the stewards deemed he was “erratic” when braking to try and let Hamilton past ahead of the final corner.
Red Bull advisor Marko told Motorsport.com after the race that the team felt it was “not treated the same” by the stewards, citing Hamilton running too slowly ahead of the first red flag restart and forcing Verstappen wide at the final corner as incidents that were not looked at.
Marko was also unhappy that Hamilton had avoided any material action for impeding Nikita Mazepin in practice on Friday, saying: “It's a very one-side tending decision-making here.”
Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Asked by Motorsport.com for his thoughts on Marko’s comments after Sunday’s race, Wolff said: “You need to dig quite deep to come up with things that went against Max today.
“I can’t comment on what they say.
“I think in Brazil, we felt that it was harsh against us, with a disqualification for the sprint race. Who would have thought that we can come back?
“I think that Lewis could have scored three points in that sprint race, and didn’t score any. And that could be valuable points.
“Someone is always going to be unhappy about things. I’m trying, with all my bias, still to try to look at things with a common sense. I guess I’m not always successful in the heat of the moment.”
Hamilton and Verstappen are tied on points heading into Sunday’s championship showdown, but both have been involved in incidents over the past three grands prix that have led to reviews by the stewards.
In Brazil, Hamilton was excluded from qualifying after his car failed a technical check, only to fight back and win the race on Sunday following a wheel-to-wheel fight with Verstappen.
Verstappen was given a grid penalty in Qatar for not slowing for yellow flags, while Hamilton was summoned for two incidents in final practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix ahead of the incidents in the race.
Related video
Why thrilling Jeddah F1 circuit needs to be safer
Red Bull's 2020 Abu Dhabi F1 dominance means little, says Mercedes
The “glorified taxi” driver central to F1’s continued safety push
As the driver of Formula 1’s medical car, Alan van der Merwe’s job is to wait – and hope his skills aren’t needed. James Newbold hears from F1’s lesser-known stalwart.
When BMW added F1 'rocket fuel' to ignite Brabham's 1983 title push
There was an ace up the sleeve during the 1983 F1 title-winning season of Nelson Piquet and Brabham. It made a frontrunning car invincible for the last three races to see off Renault's Alain Prost and secure the combination's second world title in three years
How “abysmal” reliability blunted Brabham’s first winner
Brabham’s first world championship race-winning car was held back by unreliable Climax engines – or so its creators believed, as STUART CODLING explains
The steps Norris took to reach a new level in the 2021 F1 season
Lando Norris came of age as a grand prix driver in 2021. McLaren’s young ace is no longer an apprentice or a quietly capable number two – he’s proved himself a potential winner in the top flight and, as Stuart Codling finds out, he’s ready to stake his claim to greatness…
How Fangio set the bar for Schumacher and Hamilton in F1
Juan Manuel Fangio, peerless on track and charming off it, established the gold standard of grand prix greatness. Nigel Roebuck recalls a remarkable champion.
How Russell sees his place in the Mercedes-Hamilton F1 superteam
George Russell joining Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year gives it arguably the best line-up in Formula 1 – if it can avoid too many fireworks. After serving his apprenticeship at Williams, Russell is the man that Mercedes team believes can lead it in the post-Hamilton era, but how will he fare against the seven-time champion? Motorsport.com heard from the man himself
How F1 pulled off its second pandemic season and its 2022 implications
OPINION: The Formula 1 season just gone was the second to be completed under the dreaded shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in many ways it was much more ‘normal’ than 2020. Here’s the story of how the championship’s various organisers delivered a second challenging campaign, which offers a glimpse at what may be different next time around
The adapt or die mentality that will shape F1's future
As attitudes towards the motor car and what powers it change, Formula 1 must adapt its offering. Mark Gallagher ponders the end of fossil fuels