Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has launched a furious rebuttal against what he labelled a "brainless" claim from Red Bull, after they suggested his driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to pass during the Qatar Grand Prix.
Controversy Erupts in Desert Duel
The flashpoint occurred on the penultimate lap of the race at the Lusail International Circuit. Norris, who had seen his own victory hopes fade due to a McLaren strategy error, was running in fifth place behind the Mercedes of Antonelli. In a critical moment, Antonelli ran wide, allowing the British driver to sweep past and claim fourth position.
That move earned Norris two extra championship points. This means he now only needs to finish third at the season finale in Abu Dhabi to be certain of beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen to the 2025 world championship, rather than requiring second place.
Red Bull Hints at Foul Play
The late drama prompted immediate suspicion from the Red Bull camp. Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was heard on team radio stating, "I am not sure what happened to Antonelli there. It looked like he just pulled over and let Lando through."
Red Bull's motor sport adviser, Helmut Marko, later amplified the suggestion, saying it was "so obvious" that Norris had been "waved" through by the young Mercedes driver. Given that McLaren uses Mercedes power units, the implication was one of possible team orders to aid Norris's title bid against Verstappen.
Wolff's Explosive Response
An incensed Toto Wolff did not hold back in his response to the allegations. "This is total, utter nonsense that blows my mind," the Austrian declared. "We are fighting for second in the constructors' championship, which is important for us. Kimi is fighting for a potential third in the race. I mean, how brainless can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff, already frustrated with his team's performance in Qatar, added: "It annoys me. Because I'm annoyed with the race itself, how it went. I'm annoyed with the mistake at the end. I'm annoyed with other mistakes. And then hearing such nonsense blows my mind."
He revealed he had sought out Lambiase after the race to clear the air. "I spoke to GP," Wolff explained. "Obviously they were emotional in that moment. I said to him, '[Antonelli] just went off. He had a bit of a moment in the previous corner and then less entry speed into the left-hander. It can happen'. So with GP everything is clear. We cleared the air. He said that he didn't see the situation."
Wolff ended with a pointed retort aimed at Red Bull's senior figures: "But why would we do this? Why would we even think about interfering in a driver championship? You really need to check yourself and whether you are seeing ghosts."
Title Fight Heads to Abu Dhabi
The war of words adds an extra layer of tension as the Formula One circus prepares for the championship decider in Abu Dhabi. While Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, the points swing from the Antonelli-Norris incident has tightened the mathematical possibilities for the final round.
Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri were left to rue a strategic misstep that cost them a potential victory in Qatar, but the late pass has kept the Briton's title dreams very much alive. All eyes will now be on the Yas Marina Circuit for what promises to be a dramatic season climax.
