Red Bull may have arrived in Austria armed with a major upgrade package, but Toto Wolff believes the biggest performance boost came from a more familiar source: Max Verstappen.
The Mercedes team principal was impressed by Red Bull’s improved showing at Spielberg, where the RB22 appeared far more competitive after a difficult start to the weekend. However, Wolff was quick to suggest that the machinery alone did not explain the team's return to the podium fight.
Instead, he emphsized Verstappen’s ability to extract every last ounce of performance from a car that has often looked difficult in the hands of his teammates.
After qualifying, Red Bull’s weekend appeared to be in danger when Verstappen crashed in Q3 while chasing pole position, with the team attributing the incident to a sudden loss of rear downforce.
Starting fifth behind the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the Dutchman looked unlikely to be the main challenger to Mercedes pole-sitter George Russell.
But Verstappen had other ideas.
A lightning getaway launched him into immediate contention, and his pace throughout the race was strong enough to suggest victory was within reach. Only Russell’s Mercedes holding firm in the closing stages prevented Red Bull from celebrating a home win, leaving Verstappen to settle for second place.
For Wolff, though, the result was less about a dramatic Red Bull transformation and more about the driver behind the wheel.
Wolff singles out Verstappen factor
Red Bull had introduced upgrades in Austria with hopes of closing the gap to its rivals, but Wolff was unwilling to credit the package alone for the team's revival.
Asked if he was surprised by Red Bull’s performance, the Austrian offered a pointed response.
“I'm not surprised at all.”
Wolff then separated Red Bull’s progress from Verstappen’s influence, arguing that the four-time world champion remains capable of disguising weaknesses and elevating the performance of his car.
“Red Bull is one thing, but it was Max Verstappen. For me, how it feels is like Max won every single race here that he's ever participated in, in whatever car. Spielberg is one of his strong places.”
While acknowledging that the RB22 appeared stronger, Wolff also admitted the Ferraris failed to deliver the challenge many expected.
“The car seems to have been going well, and the Ferraris, I don't know what happened to them,” he maintained.
Mercedes refuses to underestimate Verstappen threat
Although Verstappen currently sits outside the leading championship battle, Wolff believes dismissing him would be a dangerous mistake.
With George Russell, Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton fighting for championship momentum, the Mercedes boss warned that Verstappen could still influence the title picture if Red Bull continues to improve.
"Max is always good for playing a role in the championship," Wolff said. "That [Red Bull] car performed well this weekend."
However, he returned to the same conclusion: the driver was the decisive ingredient.
"I think the biggest factor this weekend was Max, to be honest. He's able to bring out everything that is in that car. You can see that with his teammates."
Wolff’s final message was clear – upgrades can improve a car, but a driver like Verstappen can transform how competitive it looks.
"That's why you can never discount or underestimate the Verstappen factor for a championship," Wolff concluded.
Red Bull’s Austrian result may have offered evidence that its latest developments are working, but Wolff’s assessment delivered a sharper takeaway: the RB22 might have improved, yet Verstappen remains the weapon capable of making any gains look greater than they are.
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