Wolff regrets incident

“Verstappen? Didn’t handle it properly”

The relationship between Toto Wolff (right) and the Verstappen family was strained by an accident involving Max (left) in 2021.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Lillian SUWANRUMPHA, APA/Ferenc ISZA, krone.at-kreativ)

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has spoken about a difficult phase in his relationship with the Verstappen family. Following an accident involving Max Verstappen in 2021, a dispute arose that was only resolved months later. "We didn't handle it properly," says Wolff, still contrite.

2021 was an intense year in Formula 1 and also in terms of the relationship between Mercedes Team Principal Wolff and the Verstappen family. An incident at the race in Silverstone even led to a dispute. After Max Verstappen collided with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, the Dutchman had to go to hospital. The Briton, on the other hand, won his home race.

While the Verstappen family worried about their son's health, Wolff and the Mercedes team celebrated their success. "One driver was in hospital and they were celebrating on the podium as if they had just become world champions," said a disappointed Jos Verstappen at the time. And that was not all. The previously good relationship with Wolff was severely strained. 

A difficult year for everyone
"I think that season really affected us all. It was so intense," Wolff recalls the situation and continues: "Each of us had the feeling that something was wrong. What really went wrong was that I made a mistake after Silverstone. I didn't call Jos on the same day, which I should have done." 

Max (right) and Jos Verstappen.

(Bild: AFP/Getty)

Jos Verstappen, for his part, had expected the Austrian to enquire about his son's condition. "I didn't call him because we were also so angry about the whole situation. And because Paul Monaghan told me in the pit lane that Max was fine. And in a way, I relied on that information," Wolff explains the background.

But this decision had consequences. There was bad blood for several months, and it wasn't until 2022 that the matter was resolved, explains the 52-year-old: "I think it started with the conversation Jos and I had in Singapore in 2022 - and from then on, because we have a pretty similar understanding of racing, we were able to say: we didn't handle it properly." The incident was then resolved and since then the relationship has been "as good as it was at the beginning."