Wolff takes clear stance on the Russell–Leclerc clash in the Dutch GP
Toto Wolff weighed in on the hard-fought battle between Charles Leclerc and George Russell at the Dutch GP, siding with his own driver.
In an extremely bitter Dutch GP for Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque at least managed to liven up the race with a daring overtake on George Russell.
Leclerc drew alongside the Mercedes driver on the outside, catching him by surprise with a bold move to reclaim the spot he had lost due to the ill-timed safety car. The two even made contact, with a few pieces flying off during the clash.
The contact later sparked controversy, with some considering it hard but still within the rules, while others labeled it as an overtake worthy of a penalty.
'It was pretty clear as a penalty'
Asked by GPblog among others after the race, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff took a clear stance: ''I think the FIA wanted to have more angles of the accident. From my biased perception, I thought it was pretty clear as a penalty.''
The Austrian nevertheless granted a mitigating factor to the Ferrari driver, acknowledging that it was he who was forced out of the race due to Kimi Antonelli’s mistake at the exit of the banked corner.
The young Italian, caught out by understeer, drove straight into the Monegasque’s SF-25, leaving him with no choice but to retire.
About this, Wolff said: ''Looking at it from a global perspective after the race, considering that one of our cars took Charles out completely of the race, whatever the stewards decide, we'll find a way.''
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