Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is not worried about Verstappen’s record: ‘That’s for Wikipedia, nobody reads that’ | formula 1

“You ask me about it now, but for me these kinds of records are completely irrelevant,” Wolff said Sky Sports. “Even in the best years of Mercedes, I did not attach any value to it. I don’t even know how many races we’ve won in a row. I didn’t even know it counted how many races in a row you win. It is therefore difficult to comment on it, because it has never played a role in my life.”

Mercedes itself was dominant in Formula 1 for years, but that did not lead to a record series. Nico Rosberg came to a total of seven consecutive victories at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. Although Lewis Hamilton became world champion seven times, he never got further than five victories in a row. The old record was held by Sebastian Vettel. The German established this in 2013 on behalf of Red Bull.

“Our situation was perhaps a bit different because we had two drivers in the team who fought against each other,” continues Wolff, who does compliment Verstappen. “This result shows that a great driver in a great car performs at an extremely high level. But I don’t know if he cares about that record himself. It wouldn’t be important to me, all those numbers.”

View the summary of the GP of Italy.

Even before the start of the Formula 1 weekend in Monza, Wolff already sharpened the relationship by indicating in an interview that he found the gap between Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Pérez ‘bizarrely large’, after which he suggested that they should join Red Bull. fully adjust the car based on the driving style of the Dutchman. A suggestion that was already dismissed by Verstappen as ‘complete bullshit’. Lewis Hamilton also contributed with a statement that all his teammates at Mercedes were all stronger than all drivers who sat next to the Dutchman at Red Bull Racing.

Still, Wolff indicates that there is one record that will impress him: if Red Bull becomes the first team ever to win all races in one season. The team is still on track with eight grands prix to go. ,,That is an impressive record, because that means perfection. We just didn’t make it in 2016 because our two drivers pushed each other off the track in Barcelona (where Verstappen booked his first victory, ed.) and then we had engine problems in Malaysia.”