F1 News: Martin Brundle hits back at Toto Wolff comments over 2024 title

Brundle, Hamilton, Mercedes — Photo: © IMAGO

Brundle hits back at Wolff comments over 2024 title

The Silver Arrows have struggled in 2024

Stuart Telford

Wednesday 17 April 2024 10:58 Updated: 11:35

Martin Brundle has reacted to Toto Wolff's recent claim that the Formula One season was said and done with Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing roaring into the lead.

Mercedes' recent struggles have continued into the 2024 season, the team still without an F1 win since George Russell's at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix back in November 2022.

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To make matters worse, Lewis Hamilton, the joint-record seven-time champion, announced in January that he would leave for Ferrari in 2025.

The Englishman is 67 points behind Red Bull star Verstappen - and 14 behind Russell - in this year's drivers' standings, but whether driver or car is the problem has been open to debate.

Wolff is sure of one thing: that the 2024 season is over after just four races.

Verstappen is already out in front this season

"No one is going to catch Max this year," he said after the Japanese GP, where Verstappen and Sergio Perez completed an impressive 1-2. "His driving and the car are just spectacular."

Brundle was asked about Wolff's comments on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, and whilst sharing Wolff's belief that RBR are impressive, stopped short of agreeing with the outspoken Austrian.

What did Brundle say?

"Well, Toto wears his heart on his sleeve, doesn't he?," said the former driver when Wolff's comments were put to him. "Especially when we patch him just after yet another disappointment in the Mercedes team at the moment.

"I think it's kind of stating the obvious; the [Red Bull] car is strong, Max is at the peak of his game…"

But Brundle thinks there are some questions still unanswered.

"His teammate Sergio Perez is more comfortable with the 2024 car," he continued. "But he's not exactly wearing Max's mirrors out at the same time, is he?

Brundle thinks Wolff and Mercedes have time

"So it does look, unless McLaren, Ferrari, maybe Aston Martin, kind of Mercedes come up with some kind of genius upgrade that closes the gap, you'd have to say that, yeah, it does look as if they've got both championships under control.

"But we've got 20 races to go yet - and as we saw in Australia, you never know what's going to happen."