No ‘connection’ between F1 incident between Verstappen and Norris in Austria and 2021 collisions – Motorsport Week

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has rejected claims that Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix was an unpunished incident.

With seven laps to go, Verstappen and Norris came to blows at turn three as the pair battled for the lead, causing both drivers to suffer punctures and ending their hopes of victory.

Norris criticized what he considered to be Verstappen’s “reckless” braking maneuvers, whereupon the race director penalized Verstappen with a time reduction of 10 seconds.

But while Verstappen denied the allegations against him, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella claimed the Dutchman’s uncompromising approach was nothing new.

Stella argued that race control did not put a stop to Verstappen’s aggressive tussles with Lewis Hamilton in 2021 to ensure he relaxed his racing approach.

However, Wolff, who was at the centre of the exciting championship battle three seasons ago, rejected the idea that the two should be compared.

“I don’t think you can draw that conclusion,” Wolff explained when told Stella’s opinion after the race. “It was so long ago and from our side.”

“We’re in a different place today, and I think he is too. It takes two to tango. To be honest, I didn’t see Lando and Max’s race. I didn’t see how it all came about.

“I have to look at it before I can form an opinion, but I wouldn’t consider it a major consequence of the poor management of 2021 in terms of what happened in 2024.

“I don’t think there’s a connection.”

Mercedes are known to be courting Verstappen should he express a desire to leave Red Bull, although Wolff has insisted the team needs to improve its speed on track.

The German brand’s recent increase in competitiveness has enabled George Russell to capitalize on this feeling and claim the team’s first victory since November 2022.

However, Wolff admitted that Mercedes would need to perform better to earn deserved victories and lure the three-time F1 champion.

“To win at the moment, two people at the front have to fall,” he admitted.

“I think we still have to look within ourselves and ask ourselves what we can do to have a car that can compete against the two at the front.

“And do it more regularly. Now we can say that we can be a haven, a destination for the best drivers, including Max.”

“But we’re not there yet, so I’m not even… So if I were him, I wouldn’t even consider such a step.”