The Italian Grand Prix this weekend is one of the most special races on the F1 calendar. It is the home race of Ferrari, which is arguably a side that has the greatest legacy in the sport. As a result, the Tifosi fans usually go wild when they see their team compete in this race. This season now that Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have given the fans hope of a special result with a first and third starting position on the grid respectively for Sunday’s race, it seems that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff would also like to see them win. In the process, the Austrian seems to have lived true to Sebastian Vettel’s famous words as he explained in a recent interview how he would like to see the Prancing Horse clinch victory if his side cannot do so this weekend.
The four-time world champion had famously stated in an interview back in 2016 that everyone is a “Ferrari fan“.
“Everybody’s a Ferrari fan. Even if they’re not, they’re a Ferrari fan. Even if you go to the Mercedes guys…even if they say that ‘Oh yeah, Mercedes is the greatest brand in the world,’ they are Ferrari fans“,” explained Vettel.
Toto Wolff hopes Ferrari can beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen
The Red Bull team has been utterly dominant this season as they have won all 13 races. Max Verstappen has won 11 of them, including the last nine in a row.
Moreover, with the Dutchman starting second for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, there is every chance that he could register his tenth victory in a row. Hence, Toto Wolff hopes that Ferrari can stop the Red Bull driver from accomplishing such a record if they cannot stop the Milton Keynes outfit themselves.
“Verstappen is still the favorite because the car has been so good, and he has been faultless,” explained Wolff. “But it would be good for F1 if they (Ferrari) give him a hard time. And seeing a Ferrari win in Monza, if it can’t be us, then it should be Ferrari“.
Moreover, it is not just Wolff who has revealed his affection for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton also did so in an interview last year. The Briton revealed how he is a Ferrari fan despite driving for Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton expressed his support for Charles Leclerc last year
Since Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes found it difficult to challenge for wins last season, the Briton expressed his support for Charles Leclerc. The 38-year-old explained how if he could not win races, he hoped that the Monegasque would win for Ferrari.
While speaking to Corriere della Sera (as quoted by marca.com), Hamilton said, “I would say one thing: if I could sit with the fans in the stands, I would support Charles. I’m a Ferrari fan“. However, the seven-time champion did make it clear afterward that despite his affection for Ferrari, Mercedes was yet his “family“.
Hamilton indeed did form one of the most iconic partnerships with the Silver Arrows during the turbo-hybrid era. The Briton won six of his seven titles with the team and helped the side win eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021.
