Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has launched a scathing attack on Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, labelling him 'brainless' for alleging that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to overtake him at the Qatar Grand Prix.
The Controversial Overtake That Sparked a Row
During the penultimate lap of Sunday's race, a critical moment unfolded. Kimi Antonelli, defending his position from championship contender Lando Norris, ran wide at turn 10. Norris seized the opportunity to pass, a move that proved crucial for the championship standings.
This late pass secured a fourth-place finish for Norris, behind winner Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Carlos Sainz. More importantly, it meant Norris would take a twelve-point lead, rather than just ten, into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Red Bull's Accusations and Mercedes' Furious Rebuttal
The incident immediately drew suspicion from the Red Bull camp. During the race, Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, radioed: 'I don't know what happened to Antonelli. It looks like he simply pulled to the side and let Norris pass.'
After the race, Helmut Marko doubled down, insisting, 'He waved him past, that was more than clear.' This claim was met with fury from the Mercedes garage.
Toto Wolff issued a blistering response, stating: 'Bless him. Helmut, this is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind, even to hear that. We're fighting for P2 in the championship... Kimi is fighting for a potential P3. How brainless can you be to even say something like this?'
Wolff revealed he had spoken with Lambiase, who apologised and admitted he 'didn't see the situation'. However, Marko refused to back down, later claiming 'Antonelli did it twice', referencing an earlier pass by Oscar Piastri.
Antonelli's Explanation and the Championship Implications
Antonelli himself was adamant that a simple error cost him the position. 'Obviously with two laps to go I went in a bit quick into turn nine and lost the rear and went off track,' the Mercedes driver explained post-race. 'So definitely it was a mistake.'
The result keeps the title fight alive heading to Abu Dhabi. Max Verstappen's victory, his seventh of the season, was aided by a McLaren strategy error and means he trails Norris by twelve points, with Oscar Piastri a further four points back in third.
Wolff concluded by questioning the logic of the conspiracy theory: 'Why would we even think about interfering in a drivers' championship? You really need to check yourself whether you are seeing ghosts.'
