Max Verstappen has hit back at comments made by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff which played down the Red Bull’s new record for most consecutive wins in world championship history.
The Dutchman claimed his 10th successive win at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago, a statistic Wolff scoffed at, saying “Those numbers are for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway.”
Verstappen, the runaway championship leader, was unfazed by the remarks when asked about them in Singapore.
“They had a pretty shit race,” he observed of Mercedes’ Italian Grand Prix.
“Maybe he was pissed off with their performance.
“I don’t know. He almost sounds like an employee of our team sometimes, you know – but luckily not.”
Verstappen has stated that he’s unperturbed by the records he sets, and simply heads into each race weekend looking to capitalise.
That has taken him to record heights, something he says was inspired by Mercedes’ own run from 2014.
“I think it’s important that you focus on your own team,” he said.
“That’s what we did in the past as well when we were behind them and they were dominating.
“I think you should be able to appreciate when a team is doing really well, which I think we’ve done in the past because it worked also as a kind of inspiration.
“To see someone that dominant was very impressive at the time,” Verstappen added.
“We knew that we just had to work harder and try to be better and to try to get to that level.
“Now that we are there, we are very happy of course, that we are there and we are enjoying the moment.
“Honestly, that’s all I can say about it.”
While Verstappen is dominating the drivers’ championship, Red Bull is on the verge of claiming the constructors’ title for the second year in a row.
It’s a feat that could mathematically occur this weekend in Singapore.
“I think we always had quite high-level performance as a team, but we just didn’t have that good of a car,” Verstappen said of Red Bull’s performance in 2023 versus previous seasons.
“Last year already the car was very good but the years before we were close, but you know, winning here and there and not fighting for the constructors.
“But yeah, I think everything really came together. We understood these new regulations really well, and when you have the good people also in every single position, you can achieve something like you’re witnessing right now.”
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