Toto Wolff shows true colours with reaction to F1 punishment after outburst

26 November 2023 , 13:32

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Toto Wolff reacted to his punishment from the stewards (Image: Hasan Bratic/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Toto Wolff admitted he deserved punishment for his outburst at last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Mercedes team principal was summoned to the stewards upon arrival at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this week. They wanted to speak to him about his furious tirade during a press conference a week earlier when tensions boiled over.

Wolff had been defending the Las Vegas event in the team principal's press conference. The event was under scrutiny after a botched first day as a loose drain cover damaged two cars and caused a massive delay to the on-track action.

But his defence of the event did not wash with everyone in the room. One journalist interrupted his answer which sparked a furious response from Wolff, who snapped back aggressively.

"It's FP1 – how can you even dare trying to talk bad about an event that sets new standards to everything?" he raged. "You're speaking about a f***ing drain cover that's been undone, that has happened before. That's nothing – it's FP1.

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"Give credit to the people that have set up this grand prix, that have made this sport much bigger than it ever was. Liberty has done an awesome job and just because in FP1 a drain cover has become undone, we shouldn't be moaning."

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur had also sworn earlier in that same press conference. And both of them were given official reprimands by the stewards for their actions.

Reacting to that outcome, Wolff admitted that it was a fair enough punishment. "I find it very good that we remind all stakeholders that have a public profile, that we are responsible to what we say in the media and on TV," he told reporters in Abu Dhabi.

"If it is Fred and I going to the stewards, if we can trigger a general change of approach of the stewards to sanction swearing, then that is good. Nobody should use the 'F word' in the car or outside of the car. We should be role models, especially for the fans that we have, especially the young ones."

After an underwhelming qualifying for Mercedes in Abu Dhabi, Wolff made it clear he is happy the 2023 season has come to its end. "I'm fed up with having explanations on why it didn't go well," said the disgruntled Austrian. "I'm happy this was the last qualifying of the season and we will come with a new car."

Daniel Moxon