Wolff slams Red Bull for ‘petty’ protest over Russell’s Montreal win – Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff launched a scathing attack on Red Bull Racing after the Milton Keynes-based team filed, and then partially retracted, a double protest against George Russell’s victory in the Canadian Grand Prix. Wolff labelled the move “embarrassing” and “insignificant”, accusing Red Bull of grasping at straws in what he portrayed as a bitter response to Mercedes’ first win of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The drama unfolded after a thrilling and chaotic race in Montreal, where Russell fended off both McLarens and the advancing Max Verstappen to cross the finish line first. However, celebrations were briefly put on hold when Red Bull filed two protests relating to Russell’s actions during a safety car period. One was quickly withdrawn, while the other was summarily dismissed by the FIA stewards.
Wolff slams Red Bull
Speaking in New York at a promotional event for the upcoming Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, Toto Wolff made no attempt to hide his disdain for Red Bull’s post-race manoeuvring.
“It took Red Bull two hours to come up with that protest. That’s on them,” he said.
“Honestly, it’s so petty and insignificant. They tried this in Miami already. Now they’ve tried again here. It’s just ridiculous.”
Wolff’s annoyance stemmed not just from the protest itself, but also from what he saw as a weak justification for it. Red Bull had objected to Russell allegedly slowing down too much behind the safety car, which enabled Verstappen to briefly overtake him — a move that was quickly reversed once racing resumed. They also claimed that Russell had kept an excessive distance from the safety car, which they said breached regulations.
“Look at what they brought. These so-called clauses – they just made them up,” Wolff continued. “The FIA rightly threw it out. It’s so far-fetched it’s almost laughable.”
The Silver Arrows boss clearly believes that Red Bull’s intention was more about causing disruption and being spiteful than upholding sporting integrity. And, after Mercedes finally secured a victory in a season thus far dominated by McLaren and Verstappen, Wolff found the timing suspicious.
Horner defends Red Bull’s protest: ‘We have no regrets’
However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refused to back down. Speaking after the stewards had rejected their case, Horner insisted the protest was legitimate and necessary, regardless of the outcome.
“As a team, you have the right to raise concerns if you feel something isn’t in line with the rules,” Horner explained.
“We noticed things we felt were questionable, particularly Russell braking unexpectedly and the large gap behind the safety car. That’s why we brought it to the stewards. We have absolutely no regrets.”
Horner believes that the rulebook is there to be enforced and that it is fair for any team to seek clarification or adjudication on incidents that may influence race results. He specifically pointed to what he claimed was Russell breaching the allowable safety car gap limit threefold as justification for the complaint.
“I don’t see why that should be controversial,” Horner said.
“You want the rules to be applied consistently. Sometimes that means challenging decisions. It’s part of the game.”
However, Wolff remains unconvinced that Red Bull’s motives were pure. ‘You win and lose on the track. That’s how it should be. This win was fair, like so many others we’ve had in the past. What they did was just embarrassing.’
A new front in the F1 Cold War
This exchange is just the latest in the long-running war of words between the two powerhouse teams. While the peak of their rivalry came during the explosive 2021 title battle between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the antagonism has never truly cooled. With Mercedes beginning to improve their performance and challenge Red Bull after a difficult start to the 2025 campaign, tensions are rising again.
What makes this particular spat so intense is that both Mercedes and Red Bull are under immense internal and external pressure this season. Red Bull is no longer the unstoppable juggernaut it was just a year ago, having dealt with the fallout from high-profile management scandals and an unsettled Verstappen camp. Mercedes, on the other hand, is desperate to return to winning ways after two consecutive seasons without a title.
Wolff has seized every opportunity to criticise Red Bull this year, while Horner has dismissed suggestions that his team’s dominance is under threat. The Montreal protest, whether tactical or principled, adds fuel to the fire and marks a clear escalation in what is shaping up to be a fierce political battle both on and off the track.
Looking ahead to Spain
With the FIA having rejected the protest and Russell retaining his victory, attention now turns to the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, where Mercedes hope to consolidate their upturn in form. Meanwhile, Red Bull are under pressure to respond, both in terms of performance and strategy.
Whether Wolff’s outburst will provoke further retaliation from Horner or a shift in Red Bull’s approach remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the feud between Formula 1’s two biggest power players is heating up again, and it is likely to reach boiling point more than once before the end of the season.
As the paddock moves on from Montreal, the debate lingers. Was Red Bull’s protest a legitimate inquiry into race conduct, or a petty distraction from their own poor performance? Toto Wolff has made his view crystal clear. Christian Horner is equally unapologetic. Meanwhile, George Russell, fresh from his first win of 2025, is simply trying to enjoy the champagne.
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Briatore brushes off Renault shake-up, dismisses impact on Alpine F1 as De Meo exits, meanwhile the Italian boss is touted for Ferrari role – Flavio Briatore has dismissed any suggestion that Luca de Meo’s sudden resignation as CEO of the Renault Group will disrupt the Alpine Formula 1 team. He insisted that the move would not affect the immediate future of the Enstone-based outfit.
Speaking to reporters in Montreal, Briatore, who was handpicked by de Meo in 2023 to serve as an executive advisor for Renault’s F1 operations, was quick to allay concerns over a potential leadership vacuum following de Meo’s departure in July. The flamboyant 75-year-old Italian, who is increasingly seen as Alpine’s de facto team boss following the quiet departure of team principal Oliver Oakes, declared that the project remains firmly on course.
“No impact, nothing,” he said bluntly when asked what de Meo’s resignation might mean for the Alpine team. “We continue exactly as planned.”….. READ MORE
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“You win and lose on the track”, Toto? So MV deserved the final GP win of 2021 and both you and LH were being “petty” in your responses to that, and avoiding the dinner?
Sometimes it’s just better to “shut up and manage” (to paraphrase recent comments)