Toto Wolff: "Max Verstappen the favorite, but a Ferrari win would be good for F1"

Toto Wolff: “Max Verstappen the favorite, but a Ferrari win would be good for F1” | 2023 Italian GP. Toto Wolff on qualifying for Italian GP.

The Red Heart of Monza
Scuderia Ferrari’s pole position at Monza represents immense joy for the Prancing Horse fans and for the men and women who work year-round for the Maranello team. However, even the rivals, especially in a season so dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, are pleased with the excellent qualifying performance of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who will start the Italian GP in first and third positions. Once, the great antagonist of the Scuderia on the Brianza circuit was Mercedes’ Toto Wolff. Now, the Silver Arrows are playing catch-up.

Max Verstappen the Favorite, but…

George Russell’s fourth place and Lewis Hamilton’s less impressive eighth position make the team principal of the Brackley-based squad a very interested spectator in the battle between Red Bull and Ferrari. Inevitably, Wolff’s support is for the underdog: “Ferrari has a spectacular race pace here at Monza, and the same goes for Verstappen, as usual. For me, Max Verstappen remains the favorite for the race,” Toto Wolff emphasized. “But it would be good for F1 to see a competitive Ferrari here at Monza that can also win the race.” This wish alone explains how little the Austrian manager is convinced of the potential of the W14 at the Temple of Speed in Monza.

Mercedes Struggles

“We knew that this track would not suit our car,” Toto Wolff admitted. “We’ve seen it on similar tracks like Baku. Our car is very difficult and sensitive, and finding the right setup isn’t easy. We would have needed more time for the setup, which is why in the sprint races, with little time available, we can’t find the ideal setup. Our car has too much drag for this type of track. We couldn’t have done any better even by taking off the wings.”

Red Bull: Deserved Dominance

Regarding Red Bull’s dominance, which will go after its 14th consecutive victory of the season tomorrow, Toto Wolff remains convinced that there should be no attempt to artificially curb this winning streak. “I don’t think we should change the rules just because Red Bull keeps winning,” he stated. “We just have to congratulate them and work hard to catch up. This is a meritocratic sport.”