Toto Wolff: ‘Formidable’ Red Bull can’t be written off despite “really weird” issues

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff insists Red Bull remain a “formidable” team and cannot be written off despite their recent performance struggles.

Red Bull appeared set to dominate the 2024 season after Max Verstappen won seven of the opening 10 races, but their competitiveness has dramatically tailed off in recent months, leaving them without a victory in six grands prix.

Verstappen’s championship lead over Lando Norris has been reduced to 62 points after he could only finish sixth at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, while McLaren are just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ standings with eight races remaining.

Wolff admitted Red Bull’s problems have been “really weird” but warned the reigning world champions should not be underestimated.

“It is really weird. I have no insight obviously but that is not at all the Red Bull at the start of the year – dominant,” Wolff said after Sunday’s race at Monza.

“I think that Max was able to keep it going for a while with his ability, but it seems now that from the sheer results - and that is what I see without understanding or knowing what is going on inside - because it could be a blip, also.

“[Monza] was probably one of the worst races that we have seen for many years, to have no pace. But who am I to say that? We had two years where nothing functioned, and it was the same with Ferrari a few races ago.

“So I don’t think you can write them off. They are a formidable team and I’m sure there will be better races, but McLaren is clearly the favourite now for the constructors championship, they have two drivers scoring and I bet Red Bull didn’t expect that at the beginning of the year.”

Ferrari returned to winning ways at Monza after pulling off an audacious strategy with Charles Leclerc, marking the sixth different victor in the last seven rounds.

“It is great for Formula 1, it is real rock and roll,” Wolff said of the competition at the front of the grid.

“Look at Ferrari, they had some really off weekends and then came alive in Zandvoort in the race, and with a clever strategy they won in Monza.

“These oscillations that we see between these top four teams is great news for the fans and great news for the sport. There are literally seven or eight cars that are able to race for a podium and that is great.”