Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz entertained F1 fans around the world after they had a tense battle for the final podium spot at the Italian Grand Prix this past weekend. While their battle produced an outstanding spectacle for the neutral, the same cannot be said for the Ferrari fans. The Tifosi were on the edge of their seats and just hoped that their two drivers crossed the line without any trouble. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has now opened up in his conversation with the media about how he once found himself in a similar situation with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The Briton and the German fought one of the most knife-edge battles for the title back in 2016. Hamilton, a three-time champion at the time, tried his best to win a fourth title that year. However, he could not beat a determined Rosberg, who showcased his class by winning his maiden championship that season.
Wolff explains why Leclerc vs Sainz reminded him of his past
While speaking to the media (as quoted by pitdebrief.com) after the Italian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff said, “It was quite entertaining at the end, watching it (Charles Leclerc vs Carlos Sainz). I had some flash memories that came to my mind. ‘Are we interfering or are we letting them push each other out?’ I think [it was a] great, great spectacle for the Tifosi“.
How racing should be, tough but fair 🫡 #ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 3, 2023
He then added how he was happy for Ferrari to receive a podium finish at the home Grand Prix. The 51-year-old believes that only a few other places produce an atmosphere as electric as Monza.
Toto Wolff is happy for Ferrari but raises concerns for Mercedes
While Toto Wolff was happy for Ferrari, he did highlight his concerns with Mercedes’ performance. In the same interview, the Austrian explained how they did not deserve anything more than a fifth and sixth-placed finish.
George Russell finished p5 after having a long battle with Sergio Perez at the start of the race. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton finished P6 after having an eventful race. After starting eighth on the grid, Hamilton had a tough battle with Williams’ Alex Albon, and the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for sixth place.
While the 38-year-old did manage to get the better of all of his rivals, he did make contact with Piastri, resulting in him receiving a five-second penalty. Hence, since Mercedes had such a difficult race, Wolff believes that his side maximized the points they could score at the Italian GP.
However, he made it clear that the Silver Arrows cannot be happy finishing fifth and sixth. Therefore, the Austrian hopes that his side can now outperform Ferrari at the Singapore GP, considering that Red Bull are way ahead at the moment.
