Wolff critical of ‘over-hard racing’ between Verstappen and Leclerc

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has strongly criticised the high-speed clash between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during the dramatic late restart of the Spanish Grand Prix, calling the wheel-to-wheel exchange “over-hard racing” and raising concerns over driver safety.

The incident occurred following a Safety Car period triggered by the retirement of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. As the race resumed, Verstappen nearly lost control of his Red Bull on the exit of the final corner, leaving him vulnerable to an attack from Ferrari’s Leclerc.

Seizing the opportunity, Leclerc drew alongside Verstappen on the pit straight, and the pair went wheel-to-wheel at over 300 km/h as they approached Turn 1.

The cars made slight contact as Leclerc surged into third place while Verstappen’s troubles continued as George Russell, in the second Mercedes, also challenged him, forcing the Dutchman to take to the Turn 2 escape road.

Shortly after, Verstappen was instructed by his team to give the place back to Russell, only to collide with him moments later — a separate incident that also sparked post-race controversy.

Wolff’s Condemnation of the Restart Battle

Wolff, observing from the Mercedes garage, was unequivocal in his disapproval of the Verstappen-Leclerc encounter.

“That shouldn’t happen that at 300-plus kilometres an hour, two cars touch on the straights,” the Austrian commented after the race.

“The high-speed contact, in Wolff’s view, posed an unacceptable risk, underscoring the fine line between aggressive racing and dangerous conduct.

Reflecting on the history between Verstappen and Leclerc, Wolff noted their longstanding rivalry.

“These two know each other since a long time. I guess there’s a video on YouTube where this is exactly the same discussion they had today, they had in karts when they were 14.

“‘He rammed me off the track,’ or what is it? It was a ‘racing incident’,” he remarked, suggesting that their competitive familiarity may have fueled the intensity of the moment.

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But the Mercedes chief’s assessment was blunt as he believed that the two drivers had crossed into unsafe territory.

“I don’t know. Hard racing, over-hard racing, in my opinion,” he said.

Mercedes Facing Engine Questions After Antonelli DNF

The restart in Barcelona was triggered by a disappointing blow for Mercedes, as Andrea Kimi Antonelli retired on Lap 53, ending what had been a promising race for the young Italian.

Although the precise cause has yet to be confirmed, initial signs point to a rare power unit issue.

“We have to look at whether that was an engine failure today, it clearly looks like that at first sight. And that is our strength, so we need to see where that comes from,” Wolff explained.

The Mercedes boss also took the opportunity to underline the importance of tyre management heading into the future — particularly with sweeping regulation changes looming in 2026.

“But overall, it’s important to understand our tyres, because that is going to be an important factor next year beyond all the sporting and technical regulations, engine regulations.”

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