Wolff reacts to safety car controversy - "This time, they followed the rules"
Wolff reacts to safety car controversy - "This time, they followed the rules"
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has claimed the FIA 'followed the rules' during its latest end-of-race safety car controversy in a clear reference to last season's Abu Dhabi debacle.
The Italian Grand Prix finished with the last five laps run under safety car conditions much to the displeasure of the 336,000 sell-out crowd with Charles Leclerc denied the opportunity to attack Max Verstappen.
The situation was quickly compared to last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where then race director Michael Masi allowed a last-lap shootout for world title honours that Lewis Hamilton lost.
Asked for his thoughts on current race director Niels Wittich's decision to adhere to protocols and not allow a similar situation to unfold, Wolff demonstrated that the Yas Marina race is far from a forgotten incident.
"The race direction is always going to be under critics but this time, they followed the rules," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.
Matters were complicated by the safety car picking up George Russell instead of leader Verstappen but unlike in Abu Dhabi, race control waited the required lap to allow the released cars to close in before any restart could take place, taking the race to its conclusion.
"Maybe they could have done it a lap earlier or let George through but at least they followed the rules and they accepted that the race finishes under the safety car.
"And this is how it should be, shouldn't have been..."
Russell finished third to score his seventh podium of the season while Hamilton recovered from a back-of-the-gird start to take the chequered flag in fifth.
"I think you see that on a track that doesn't suit us, we are clearly third on the road so three and five is probably the maximum exploit," Wolff added.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 team lodge FIA PROTEST over Chinese Grand Prix qualifying result
- 10 minutes ago
FIA confirm penalty verdict after official PROTEST
- 29 minutes ago
F1 star apologises after China Sprint CLASH
- 1 hour ago
Alonso reveals MISTAKE cost him in shock Red Bull battle - Top three verdict
- 2 hours ago
F1 star accuses team-mate of ‘crossing the line’ in battle
- 3 hours ago
Hamilton in 's*** happens' outburst after huge China failure
- Today 11:57
Related news
F1 boss confirms HISTORIC race in danger
Italian Grand Prix saw huge amount of F1 fans MISS key moments
Brundle admits Russell podium at Monza would have led to 'CHAOS'
Brundle claims under pressure F1 star 'back in control'
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860