Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff has branded the protests filed by Red Bull against the team as “so petty and so small.”
Following George Russell’s triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix, Red Bull lodged two protests against the Mercedes driver, putting his first win of the season in jeopardy.
The Milton Keynes outfit argued that Russell had braked erratically and unnecessarily in front of Max Verstappen and had left too big a gap between him and the safety car. They also argued that the British driver had “displayed unsportsmanlike intent” over the team radio.
The protests were dismissed, and Russell maintained his victory. Verstappen finished the race in second, ahead of Russell’s team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who celebrated his first F1 podium.
Wolff discussed the protests while walking the red carpet for the F1 movie at the world premiere in New York City.
“Well, first of all it took Red Bull Racing two hours before they lodged the protest,” Wolff explained to Sky Sports F1.
“That was their doing. Honestly, it’s so petty and so small. They did it in Miami. Now they launched two protests, they took one back because it was ridiculous. They come up with weirdo ISC clauses, sporting code clauses.
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
“I guess the FIA needs to look at that because it’s so far-fetched. It was rejected. You race, you win, and you lose on track. That was a fair victory for us, like so many they had in the past. It’s just embarrassing.”
He added, “One, they actually pulled as a protest, not even following it though, because it was nonsense.
“The second one took us five hours there because I don’t even know what they referred to as unsportsmanlike behaviour. What is it all about? Why do you do that? Who decides it? I am 100% sure it’s not Max. He’s a racer, and he wouldn’t go for a protest on such a trivial thing.”
There has been a lot of talk about Russell’s future with Mercedes, with his contract expiry looming at the end of the current season. Despite the lack of extension, Wolff confirmed that it is “all on plan.”
