Wolff fires back at 'brainless' Marko after delicate Antonelli accusation

19:59, 30 Nov

Updated: 20:20, 30 Nov

byNorberto Mujica

Andrea Kimi Antonelli stands accused by Red Bull Racing's advisor Dr. Helmut Marko of aiding McLaren drivers in Qatar.

"We're fighting for P2 in the championship, which is important for us. Kimi's fighting for a potential P3. I mean, how brainless can you be to even say something like this?"

- Toto Wolff

Photo: RacePictures.

Lando Norris was able to complete two overtakes on Antonelli. However, the penultimate lap pass completed by the British driver on the Italian came about after a mistake by the Mercedes rookie, which the Norris capitalised on.

After the race Marko claimed Antonelli had aided the McLaren driver, comments which fired up the Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

"Bless him, Helmut. This is total utter nonsense that blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff in response to a question by GPblog on the matter. "We're fighting for P2 in the championship, which is important for us. Kimi's fighting for a potential P3. I mean, how brainless can you be to even say something like this?

"And it annoys me because I'm annoyed with the race itself, how it went. I'm annoyed with the mistake at the end. I'm annoyed with other mistakes and then hearing such nonsense. Blows my mind."

Wolff reveals conversation with Verstappen's race engineer

Wolff then stated he'd clarified the issue with Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over Antonneli's mistake on the penultimate lap that allowed Norris to go through.

"The other thing is that beyond losing the points for a Constructors' Championship, I spoke to GP [Lambiase]," Wolff added. "I saw him and obviously he was emotional in that moment because they needed a P3 I guess to win the Championship or P4, I don't know, but one position. Now they need more.

"I said to him Kimi just went off. He had a bit of a moment in the previous corner and then less entry speed into that left-hander, put the gas down and at that moment which can happen, that lost the position. So with GP everything is clear, he said he didn't see the situation.

"Why would we do this? Why would we even think about interfering in a driver championship? You really need to check yourself whether you see ghosts," Wolff concluded.

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