Toto Wolff (Mercedes): “Weaknesses are laid bare very quickly in Baku”

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli heads into the final stages of the 2026 season as championship leader, buoyed by two consecutive victories. The Italian, who is just 20 years old, has an 81-point lead over his team-mate George Russell, who in turn is 20 points ahead of his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton (now at Ferrari).

Wolff: “We’re taking a realistic view”

Team principal Toto Wolff, however, urges caution: “The results from the last two race weekends were good, but they do not change our assessment of the current situation. There are several teams capable of competing at the very front every weekend. We did well in Madrid, but we also benefited from the fact that a lot of things went our way during the race. We’re taking a realistic view of this.” What Wolff means is this: McLaren’s Lando Norris started from pole and would probably have won had it not been for a virtual safety car that worked against him. Even race winner Kimi Antonelli said after the Spanish Grand Prix that Norris actually deserved the victory.

And immediately after the race in Madrid, Wolff had commented on the seemingly optimistic championship standings: “It’s a mechanical sport. Sometimes you can’t finish a race, sometimes you can have an accident... In my opinion, we should simply ignore the points until it’s no longer mathematically realistic or until there’s practically no chance left for them, and instead focus on each individual week and try to do our best.” So no one at the Silver Arrows is going to be breaking out the champagne just yet.

The final phase of the Formula 1 season really is a tough one. Next up are two triple-headers, meaning six races in the space of seven weeks. As things stand, the season is also set to conclude with a triple-header in Vegas/Qatar/Abu Dhabi (more on that here). So we’re in for some gruelling and intense weeks ahead – during which a lot can still happen and, mathematically speaking, the tables could still turn.

Consolidate their position – or lose it?

Wolff: “It’s going to be a gruelling time for the whole team, both at the factories and at the circuit. The recovery time between races is very short, which is why preparation, reliability and operational execution become even more important. These are the moments when we can either consolidate or lose our position in the World Championship.”

Topic of the week

Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring: track – hit or miss?

The people of Madrid had set their sights high for their city’s first Formula 1 World Championship race since 1981. But have the high expectations for the new Madring mixed-circuit track really been met?

Mathias Brunner

Read More

TV Program

Live

Baku: 1. Freies Training

FIA Formula One World Championship

24.09.2026 - 10:15

This week, however, the action kicks off in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. Wolff: “The circuit is one of the most unusual on the calendar. It’s very demanding for both drivers and cars. You need good speed on the straights, confidence in the braking zones and a car that can handle the slow corners in the old town well.” Mercedes estimates the probability of a safety car intervention at 60 per cent.

Wolff concludes: “The recent results have been encouraging, but they guarantee nothing.” The Austrian warns: “In Baku, weaknesses are exposed very quickly. We must approach the weekend with humility, get the basics right and fight hard for every point.” Wolff himself, however, will not be present in Baku.