Toto Wolff gets into awkward Sky Sports F1 interview: 'We did a setup twerk'

Toto Wolff, Mercedes, China, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Japanese Grand Prix

Toto Wolff gets into awkward interview with Sky Sports F1 pundit: 'We did a setup twerk'

Toto Wolff got his words in a twist in Japan

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 28 March 2026 18:25

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff got himself all a bother in an interview during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, making an interesting admission about a change to George Russell's car in the process.

Wolff was in the paddock at Suzuka this weekend for the the third round of the F1 2026 championship, with his driver duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell locking out the front row once again ahead of Sunday's race.

The Silver Arrows have dominated the early stages of the sport's new regulations cycle, with Russell currently top of the drivers' standings and Mercedes leading the way in the constructors' championship.

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But it is the teenage star Antonelli who is looking for glory at Suzuka, on a high after taking home the first grand prix win of his career in Shanghai last time out.

Antonelli looked more competitive than his much more experienced team-mate on Saturday, with Russell complaining of 'weird vibrations from the rear' of his W17 before telling media that Mercedes had made 'a small adjustment to the rear suspension' heading into qualifying.

But when Russell's team principal attempted to explain the changes made to the British driver's machinery, things took an interesting turn.

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Wolff and Mercedes 'twerking' in Japan

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz after qualifying, Wolff said: "Yeah I think we did a setup twerk on the other side, something that we expected to have less impact than it had and it put the car on the nose so too much oversteer and it made it very difficult for him."

And no, you didn't read that wrong, Mercedes have been busy twerking in the garage at Suzuka according to Wolff.

It was clear however that the word the Austrian F1 boss was looking for was tweak... Mercedes had been busy tweaking Russell's W17 before qualifying.

Asked if Russell would be able to save some tyres for Sunday's race based off the setup, Wolff replied: "No, it’s probably the opposite I think he needs to carry this into the race now which is certainly a disadvantage but these things happen."

But Kravitz being Kravitz, he refused to let Wolff's slip up go, saying: "I never thought of George as someone who likes twerks or twerking."

Wolff then responded, adopting a concerned expression, adding: "I hope I used the right word we did a mistake."

Kravitz replied: "I mean twerking is never a mistake, maybe he did a tweak to the car and it was bad and maybe a twerk is something else, anyway!"

The Mercedes team principal then decided to call it a day on the interview, saying: "Maybe it was just a change that went wrong," before leaving Kravitz to continue the segment, clearly amused.

F1 Mercedes Toto Wolff Japanese Grand Prix Ted Kravitz Suzuka