Wolff's razor-sharp after comment about Verstappen: 'Max didn't become champion

With his victory in the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris has once again gained ground in the championship. The gap he now needs to close is smaller than the deficit Verstappen had after Zandvoort last year, after which the Dutchman staged a major comeback in the second half of the season.

The Mercedes team boss knows how much difference a new package can make at this stage of the season. While Mercedes tries to distribute its available resources throughout the year, updates from rivals can immediately impact the competitive order.

"If you bring an update, that will give at least a couple of tenths to each of the top teams, and that’s what you lose. So yes, it has become a bit tougher than at the start of the year," he admits.

Wolff is then asked whether McLaren and Ferrari do have the financial leeway to further develop their cars. According to him, it will only become clear later how the different teams have allocated their budgets over the season.

McLaren’s performances are not a reason for Mercedes to suddenly overhaul its existing development program. Wolff is also asked whether his team perhaps spent money too aggressively earlier in the season, which now leaves less room available.

"You can look at that in many ways. Did we spend too much at the beginning, in the first year? No, I don’t think so. We are simply an organization with a certain size and infrastructure," the Austrian explains.

Wolff then mainly points to the reliability issues that have cost Mercedes points throughout the season. Without those problems, the starting position in the championship would have looked different, he says.