Toto Wolff: Mercedes boss slams Red Bull’s Canadian Grand Prix protest against George Russell as ‘petty and embarrassing’ | F1 News
Mercedes’ boss Toto Wolff marked Red Bull’s demonstration against the Canadian Grand Prix “Petty” and “Embarrasing”, but his counterpart Christian Horner insists that his team has “no regret”.
On Sunday, Red Bull disputed the victory of George Russell in Montreal, alleging that he had violated the regulations for having driven irregularly and committing antactive driving behind the security car, which was then rejected by the commissioners.
Earlier this season, Red Bull launched a demonstration against Russell in Miami after the Briton finished a place in front of Verstappen in third at the Miami Grand Prix. The allegation that Russell had not slowed enough under the yellow flags was rejected.
“First of all, it took Team Red Bull Racing two hours before launching the demonstration, so it was in their fact. You know, honestly, it’s so mean and so small,” said Wolff Sky Sports In New York during the launch of the new F1 film.
“They did it in Miami. Now they have launched two demonstrations. They picked up one because it was ridiculous.
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Red Bull launched a demonstration after the Canadian General practitioner saying that George Russell has driven irregularly in front of Max Verstappen behind the safety car
“They offer strange clauses, what they call clauses. I suppose that the FIA needs to look at this because it is so far -fetched that it has been rejected.
“You know, you run, you win and lose the right track. It was a good victory for us, like many they had in the past. And it’s just embarrassing.”
Russell won Mercedes’ first victory for the season in Montreal, ahead of the quadruple Red Bull world champion, Max Verstappen.
When asked if Red Bull’s demonstrations should have been rejected more quickly, Wolff added:
“One of them they actually fired as a demonstration, they didn’t even follow it because it was nonsense.
“The second took us five hours because I don’t even know what you call” antactive behavior “or something. What is it? Who decides it? Because I am 100% that it is not maximum, it is a runner.
“He would never go for a demonstration on such a trivial thing.”
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Protective facts of the Canadian Grand Prix of the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, Montreal
The demonstration was the last turn in a series of controversial events involving Verstappen and Russell.
The driver of Red Bull was penalized for provoking a collision with Russell in the previous round of the 2025 season in Spain, the incident winning Verstappen three penalty points which left him at the edge of a race ban in Canada, and will continue to do in the next round in Austria before certain permit points.
After defeating Verstappen in Pole on Saturday in Montreal, Russell suggested that he had an advantage over his rival due to the situation of penalty points.
Verstappen said he was “Pi ** Ed Off” in “childish” comments on his situation shortly after a press conference after qualification.
The pair also engaged in an extraordinary word war in the final of last year after Verstappen was penalized for an incident involving Russell during the previous round in Qatar.
Horner: Red Bull has no regrets
Also speaking to Sky Sports In New York, Horner de Red Bull insisted that they had “no regret” on their actions.
“No, absolutely not [no regrets]”, He said.” I mean, it’s the right of a team to do it. You know, we saw something that we did not think they are quite correct.
“You have the possibility of putting it in front of the stewards and that is what we have chosen to do. Absolutely no regrets in there.”
Asked about the chances of Verstappen to add a fifth world title this season, Horner added that there was still a long way to go.
The Dutchman is third in the driver’s ranking, behind the pair McLaren Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
“We are not even halfway. We had a good weekend in Barcelona. We have obviously won in Imola a few races, and as Sunday, anything can happen.
“You just have to hang on. It’s a long championship. We don’t give up, keep fighting until the end. If a person will do that, it will certainly be maximum.”
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George Russell, Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli reacted to the Norris accident after a battle with his teammate Pitri
Asked about incidents in Montreal, Russell said Sky Sports::
“I think even Max did not know that there was even a demonstration. So I don’t know what was going on, what they thought.
“I am glad that nothing happened in one way or another. It was just a bit of a waste of time of everyone. And two guys working for the team, they both missed their flights last night and everything.
“It was just a little false for everyone. But it’s over now, eyes forward.
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George Russell and Kimi Antonelli de Mercedes reflect respectively on their first and third place
“I feel that I was playing very well. I feel good with the team. Who knows what will happen, the margins are so close at the moment.”
The next step for the Formula 1 2025 season is a return to Europe for the Austrian Grand Prix, which is live on Sky Sports F1 from June 27 to 29. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time.
