Toto Wolff shows frustration over Ferrari’s 2019 engine talks, wishes them to be competitive after the poor show by the Italian outfit at qualifying.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff exclaims that enough has been spoken about Ferrari’s 2019 engine and cannot listen about Mattia Binotto playing down its aero performance.
Wolff, along with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, suggested on Friday that Ferrari should release details of the settlement it reached with the FIA over its 2019 power unit, an idea that was swiftly rejected by Binotto.
“I don’t want to comment on this, I think enough has been said,” said Wolff. “This is more about the way things are being managed. And let’s not go back there.
“I think everything has been said back and forth, they haven’t shown great performance today, we want them to be competitive and race with us, race under the same rules.
“Nothing would make me happier than if we have three or four teams be competitive out there and giving us a run for our money.” On Ferrari playing down its aerodynamic performance, a terse Wolff commented: “Not they have talked it down, but Mattia has talked it down. And… er… I can’t listen to that anymore.”
Toto Wolff and Ferrari 2019 engine controversy
Last year, Mercedes and Red Bull raised concerns with FIA over Ferrari’s the extent of the Italian team’s advantage in straight-line speed. The FIA later admitted on February that it had suspicions Ferrari’s engine was not always legal in 2019 but could not prove it.
However, the governing body said it decided not to pursue its case because “further action would not necessarily result in a conclusive case due to the complexity of the matter and the material impossibility to provide the unequivocal evidence of a breach”.
In response, 7 teams of F1 including Red Bull and Mercedes wrote a letter to FIA over their dissatisfaction over FIA and Ferrari’s settlement over the issue.
A disappointing start to Ferrari in 2020
Ferrari had a tough start to the 2020 season, as they ranked much lower in the qualifying positions on Saturday than their rivals Red Bull and Mercedes.
Sebastian Vettel did not even manage to enter into the Q3, whereas, even Charles Leclerc escaped elimination in Q2 by a small margin, as he ended 10th in Q2, but finally raising himself to the 7th position of the grid.
Meanwhile, the buyers of Ferrari engine Haas and Alfa Romeo also struggled in the qualifying round with lack of pace over the weekend.
