Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, did not mince his words after witnessing yet another commanding performance by Max Verstappen at the latest race.
The Red Bull driver’s ninth win of the season has left the rest of the grid trailing so far behind that Wolff likened them to “Formula Two cars” against Verstappen’s supreme Formula One machine.
Red Bull’s unbeaten streak of 11 wins from 11 races this year has left Verstappen a staggering 110 points clear in the championship, leaving his rivals in awe of his prowess.
Lando Norris of McLaren secured the runner-up position, achieving consecutive podium finishes for the first time in his career.
Meanwhile, starting from pole position, Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fourth place, with his Mercedes teammate George Russell finishing sixth.
Wolff’s frustration was evident as he spoke about the gulf in performance between Verstappen and the rest of the field.
“It was like a bunch of Formula Two cars against a Formula One car,” he remarked. Even with the second-quickest car on the grid, Mercedes could not keep up, and Verstappen finished a commanding 33 seconds ahead of Hamilton.
Acknowledging Red Bull’s superiority, Wolff commented, “We are going to fight back and win races and championships, but we saw the pace Max had, and that’s the bitter reality.”
Verstappen’s dominance is rewriting records, with his Red Bull team achieving an astonishing 12 consecutive wins.
Mercedes’ once-unprecedented 19 victories in a single campaign are now under threat as Verstappen’s brilliance continues to shine.
Despite Verstappen’s remarkable performance, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner remains cautious and focused on the upcoming challenge at the Belgian Grand Prix.
With the unpredictable Spa-Francorchamps circuit and the possibility of rain, Horner is keen to guard against complacency, emphasizing that they are taking it “one event at a time.”
