FIA Team Principals press conference – Austria

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES Toto WOLFF (Mercedes), Jonathan WHEATLEY (Kick Sauber), Laurent MEKIES (Racing Bulls)

Q: Why don't we start with the man whose car was fastest in FP1. So, Toto, it's early days here in Austria, but how confident are you of a repeat of last time out in Montreal?

Toto WOLFF: Good afternoon, everybody. We start with a civilised question. Never confident. You know, this track hasn't treated us very well in the past. Rough asphalt is not where our car has the sweet spot. And yeah, we've been fastest today with George, but it's also low on temperatures with the cloud cover. So, we need to really keep feet on the ground, see what happens if it's getting hotter, and that's the forecast for tomorrow and after tomorrow, and see whether we can maintain those levels of performance. But definitely, I wouldn't extrapolate from FP1 that we're going to drive home in the sunset and collect some trophies.

Q: Let's talk drivers now. We'll start with Kimi. How do you think his podium in Canada will help him going forward? He said yesterday that now is the time to make a step. Do you agree with him?

TW: Most important is that the development trajectory continues to be positive. I think when we look at last year, it wasn't our most intelligent call to put him in the car in Monza, give him all the pressure, and then obviously with the incident, that's something that's in the back of your mind. And I think with the podium now, you can shake that off and say, “I've proven that I can be fast.” And also, throughout the year, we gave him lots of space to explore, to develop, to under-hit, or also push hard when he felt confident in the car. And in that respect, I think that is what you can expect from a driver that can be a champion one day.

Q: What about George Russell then? Five podiums so far this year, including the win. What else has he got to do to get this contract for '26?

TW: Nothing. He has been part of our program since ten years or so. He's always performed to the expectations that we have set, and he's continuing to do so. We haven't given him a car to win a world championship in the last three years, so that's completely on us. And the times the car has been good, he has been winning races. And you can see today, he's always there. You know that when he's getting in the car, he's going to extract what is in the car. Having said that, for whatever reason, in early summer, those kinds of contract discussions start to end up being accelerated in the media or accelerated because of a lack of information. What I have been doing the last 30 years in a normal business, contract discussions are not being held as town halls. So, everything is normal. Everything goes to plan.

Q: Is he top of your list for next year?

TW: Well, he needs to be top of the list because he's a race winner with us. He's a Mercedes junior. He's been with the team for a long time.

Q: So, when he says, as he did yesterday, that discussions with Max Verstappen are delaying things, would you expect him to be talking to other teams as well?

TW: Again, we are going into territory that I don't want to discuss out here. But people talk, people explore, and most important is that in our organisation, we are transparent. But it doesn't change a millimetre of my opinion of George, his abilities, or anything else.

Q: Okay. Toto, thank you for that. Jonathan, let's come to you now. Two points finishes in the last two races on very different racetracks. Just what has been the most pleasing aspect for you of those performances?

Jonathan WHEATLEY: I think it's a total team performance. What's encouraging is that the work that Mattia started nearly a year ago now is starting to bear fruit. The tools are starting to correlate with each other. The pieces we're putting on the car so far seem to have been going in the right direction. The drivers have more confidence. We understand C45 better than we did five, ten races ago. And there's a momentum building in the team, and it's a great energy.

Q: New parts this weekend, I believe, some floor edges, rear wing, things like that. What is the data telling you after FP1?

JW: It is a little too soon to say. We need to look at the data, we need to analyse it. It was an interesting session in terms of the way the temperature changed throughout, I think as Toto just talked about there. So, you know, the long runs were carried out. I don't think it will be like that on Sunday. So we've got a little bit more to analyse, but certainly at the moment, the feeling's positive.

Q: As I did with Toto, can we talk about drivers now? Let's start with Nico Hülkenberg. He's been bringing home the points. What has impressed you the most about him so far this year?

JW: Well, you know, I've watched his career for a long time now. Working with him has been a pleasure, I have to say. Professionalism, the way he approaches a Grand Prix weekend, he's measured. He's the whole package as far as I can see. He's clearly enjoying the upgrades on the car. He's enjoying his time at Sauber at the moment, and he's delivering. Canada wasn't a circuit that we expected to perform that well on, yet we were able to deliver with both drivers a really solid performance and, as you said, points two races in a row.

Q: How far away is Gabi from Nico?

JW: Well, it's interesting to listen to Toto's comments about Kimi. Each one of these milestones, be that points, podiums, whatever, I've seen it so many times with drivers gaining in confidence. Gabi is so close. The confidence is building. Today, again, another really clean performance, really good feedback through the engineers through P1. He's learning, developing. Really, really pleased with his progress.

Q: Okay. Thank you for that. Should be more questions for you later. Laurent, let's come on to you now. After three consecutive points finishes, Canada was a bit disappointing for the team. What have you learned since then about the problem in Canada? And how confident are you of getting back in the points this weekend?

Laurent MEKIES: It's fair to say we were probably missing a tenth or two compared to our ultimate performance in Canada. And that's the difference between being happy at the top of the midfield and getting the points and feeling quite far away from them. I think it's a good reflection of how incredibly tight the midfield is now. We know that if we nail every aspect of the race weekend, we can be on top of that group, which is basically everyone behind the top four teams. So, it's 12 cars fighting for that spot. As soon as you don't get everything perfect, you move back. And yes, we would probably do quite a few things differently if we were going back to Canada. Isack still had a great quali there, the fourth Q3 in a row. But it's fair to say that in terms of race pace, we were missing something. So lots of learning. If I look back at all the steps forward we have been making in the last twelve months, they have all been starting from difficult moments, difficult races, difficult qualis, difficult updates. And it is in this sort of moment that you make a step forward. So obviously, this weekend is a completely different equation, but we are hopeful that we'll be back in the fight.

Q: You mentioned Isack in qualifying. He's nailing Saturdays this year, isn’t he? He was the least experienced of the rookies in terms of F1 testing coming into this season. Just how do you assess his progress so far this year?

LM: I think the starting point for Isack has been sensational. Nothing less than that. He came to us in January. He had done one day of testing in his life in Formula 1. And then we did one wet day of testing, and then here we are. Let's go to Bahrain and let's go to Melbourne. If you look at the natural speed, how quickly he blended with the engineers, with all the team members, with the whole Formula 1 crews, and all the pressure that comes with it, it's just something that none of us were expecting him to be at that level. Now we believe, as Toto and Jonathan said, we strongly believe in driver development. So regardless of how incredible his starting point is, we expect him to grow. We expect him to develop. He has already developed a lot from January, and it's our responsibility to make sure we create the environment around him so that he can make these steps as often as possible and be as strong as possible.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) It's a question to all three of you. I know we're in the final phases of trying to wrap up the last bits of changes to the 2026 rules. We're starting to hear some more concerned remarks again from drivers who have tried the car in the sim and don't find it particularly enjoyable at the moment. Where are you at with that? Have your drivers tried the '26 car in the sim? What was their feedback? And how important do you think it is that the drivers do end up enjoying this new formula rather than the concerns that they're speaking about at the moment?

TW: Yeah. I think the fans need to enjoy watching Formula 1, and Formula 1 needs to stay true to itself that it's a high-performance sport. Best man and best machine wins. So, this is what we need to deliver: good racing. Some cars have been good fun for the drivers to drive. Some tyres have been good fun, others not. So, in a way, everybody will get used to it. Looking at simulations of today, it's very difficult to exactly know how it's going to be next year. It's a super challenging new regulation in making those energy levels last throughout the lap on some of the tracks clearly at the moment it's still challenging. But the pace of innovation is huge, and it's always been the case in Formula 1. I believe that we are on the right trajectory. At the moment, yes, driving these cars, there will be outliers of tracks that are clearly very, very different to what it is today. But you ask a driver for a good car, give him the strongest, grippiest, less degrading tyres, 1000 horsepower, naturally aspirated V12, and that's what they're going love. We're just in a different era now.

JW: Hard to add much more than Toto said, to be honest. What I would say is it's important we put on a show. I think all of these concerns were raised at the start of this set of technical regulations, and the energy management was a big story back then as well. But then look where we are now with the closest championship in the history of the sport, I think. So, we have to look at the journey through this new set of technical regulations, and we have to make sure that at all times, we've got the best interests of the sport at heart. LM: Our drivers haven't tried yet, so I hope they're not complaining already. No, seriously, I think it's a bit early to be pessimistic. The challenge is huge, probably the biggest for the teams. I'm sure the teams will need their drivers to help them develop in the right direction to help them grasp these regulations. The guys will be jumping into that competitiveness, into that war of competitiveness, and I'm sure it will take precedence over whatever they feel when driving the car.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Premio Brazil) Question for Toto. What do you remember about the times when you were a driving instructor here at Spielberg and now living on a farm nearby? Any farming experience?

TW: Well, you know, I had this moment in 2014 where we won the race here, and I drove the car back to Vienna. And I had to pinch myself because 20 years prior, I could barely make a living. I was working here for a racing school, and I was living in the farmhouse. There were lovely people, an egg and bread in the morning, a glass of milk. And then I was teaching people to drive Formula Ford cars around the old Österreichring here. The highlight of the day was shaking those cars down in the evening and making them ready for the next day. If you would have told me back in the day what would happen 20 years later, I would have been disappointed because I thought I was going to win championships driving these cars, not in running the team. But everything happens for a reason. It was a very, very tough part of my life, but I was still doing what I love the most, and that was racing cars.

Q: (Ian Parkes – Racing News 365) Question for you, Toto. I hear your comment earlier about Max and George. But just getting onto George's comments about the discussions with Max, he has now put it out there in the public domain, whether you like it or not. Max was here yesterday in this forum in the press conference, he turned around and refused to nail his colours to the Red Bull mast for 2026. So, can you confirm: are discussions ongoing with Max, or have they taken place? Is he under serious consideration for a race seat with Mercedes for 2026?

TW: Ian, whether I like it or not, I like what George says, and I'm always supportive of the driver. There's no such thing as saying things I wouldn't want him to say. I think we are very transparent in the team for what we do, what we plan, and we've been like that since I was put in charge. So that's not the issue. At the moment, clearly, you need to explore what's happening in the future, but it doesn't change anything of what I said before about George or about Kimi, about the line-up that I'm extremely happy to have.

Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Copper F1) Question for Toto. How frustrating were the Red Bull protests in Canada, especially coming soon after Miami? And do you think to avoid frivolous protests, the fee should be 20, 30, 40,000 – something that would make people think and put a dent in the cost cap? Maybe the other guys can answer the second part as well.

TW: Well, I think it's absolutely legitimate to protest. We are fighting for race wins and championships. And if you have the opinion that what you've seen is not right, then you should protest. But some of these actions are just really not real. You know, protesting something that you call unsportsmanlike behaviour, a long shot, or you're protesting a car not leaving ten car lengths between himself and the Safety Car – well, he still needs to respect the delta. So, there are things that, from my perspective, are legit to protest and others that are just a little bit of a too long shot. And then you're waiting two hours until you actually protest because you need to figure out on what to base it. You take one protest back suddenly, and then we're all there five hours. Everybody misses planes going home, and we end up with a result that was a little bit predictable. That's something that I thought was not necessary. Coming back to your question on higher fines, no one is a fan of higher fines. It's a lot of money, and in Formula 1 we need to be careful that we are still being perceived as not over the top in relation to the normal world. But in that instance, absolutely put in a fine, and I think the President of the FIA is working on that. Put in a fine that, at least if you lose it, is a little bit of an embarrassment that you lost so much money, and you're going to think twice whether you do it. I think this is along the lines the FIA are thinking.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Question for Toto. I'm just going back to George, Toto. Is there any way in which George and Max could drive together at Mercedes? Is that an option at all or not given their history? And secondly, in your eyes, is making George wait for his contract actually helping improve his performance?

TW: Well, I can imagine every lineup. I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a world championship, so everything else afterwards is easy. There's pros and cons of having two drivers fighting each other hard. We've seen examples where that functioned and other examples where it didn't. When it comes to the contract situation, our sport is pressure, constant pressure. Whether you're in the car, outside of the car, you just need to cope with that, and George knows that, like any other driver knows it. I feel that when you're being put in a comfort zone, sometimes that is actually more detrimental to performance than having a certain pressure point in the system.

Q: (Carlo Platella – FormulaPassion.it). Question for Jonathan Wheatley. Considering how many upgrades have you introduced since the start of the season, why does it make sense for the team to develop this year’s car considering your position in the standings and what's coming for next year?

JW: I think there's everything to play for. This championship isn't over. We haven't given up on it. We're not here to mess around and just make up the numbers. We're ambitious, and we've got targets we want to hit. We don't feel at the moment it's making any impact – well, Mattia tells me it's not making any impact – on our 2026 car. Mattia and the team back at the factory, there's an energy about the progressive development of the car and going in the right steps. I'm not saying it's going to keep going until Abu Dhabi, but at the moment, it's encouraging.

Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto.it) A question for Toto. You mentioned before Kimi's podium in Canada being a relief from the stress of delivering a good result. But with that comes an increased interest, especially in his native Italy. How do you manage to protect him from the outside noise?

TW: That is a really important question because Italy has been starved of drivers that are in race or championship-winning cars. So, the enthusiasm is huge. Top media outlets writing headlines that Kimi is a legend aren't helpful, because in a country so passionate, lifting an 18-year-old to the status of legend after a podium is dangerous. It's dangerous in that respect that we need to increasingly shield him from everybody wanting something from him. It starts in a trivial environment with lots of fans wanting selfies, and it's great – better this than the other way around. There have been many people that were involved in his racing career which expect something back. I believe that a young driver of 18, when there is too much pressure from every side, it can harm his development. There's enough pressure being in the car, having George Russell as your teammate, driving a Mercedes car that can win races. If everything around it starts to continue to put pressure on him, I think it's something we really need to protect him from. And that's what we are trying.

Q: (Ludo van Denderen – GPBlog.com) Toto, I was wondering what is the deadline for you for Max to let you know if he's going come to Mercedes? And if he says yes, is it then Antonelli or Russell that's the number one to go further?

TW: Well, you make it sound like we have been asking when do you want to join and here are the terms. That's not how it is and how it works. I come back to my previous answer. I just want to have the conversations behind closed doors, not town halls. We have two drivers that have been in our program since a long time, drivers that I'm perfectly happy to have, drivers that will do great in the future of the team. So it's a bit different, the situation.

Q: (Nigel Chiu – Sky Sports) Question for Toto. Earlier this year, Toto, you said, I think it was in March, that you were not going to flirt with the idea of signing Max. Has something changed in the last few months either from your side or Red Bull's side?

TW: Define flirting. No, nothing's changed. There is no ‘flirt’ in that sense. Depends how you act. You can flirt, or you have conversations.

Q: (Shanna Lutgert – F1Maximaal.nl). Now I have a question for Jonathan. Can I just get your thoughts on Toto's comments about the Red Bull protest, and how you are looking back at it as a former Red Bull sporting director?

JW: I think I'm just looking at the situation. I'm not looking at the teams involved. I know that teams agonise over protests, but it's so important that teams have a right to do that. I think if you take away that right or make it too prohibitive, you'll end up with more problems. I like the transparency. I like the conversation that's going on around it at the moment. I know people are talking about the amount of the fine and the amount of the protest fee and what have you. But in Formula 1, that would have to be quite significant. I think it's a healthy conversation going on about it at the moment.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Another one for Toto. You've been through some of these sliding doors moments with drivers in the past when you decided between Valtteri and Esteban and Valtteri and George in previous years. Does this year feel similar at all, or is it a bit different given where the team is now and the fact you've got two drivers already very well established?

TW: You know, it is in the nature of the sport that you talk about people, whether they're in the car, in the factory, or at the racetrack. Most important is to stay true to your values. For me, that is having integrity and being humble about the situation, respectful of the people, and that's what I and what we are trying to do in the team. But as you say, yes, I've been in situations like this before. Also, before I was doing Formula 1. Some of the conversations are more difficult than others.

Q: (Martin Moravec – DPA) A question to Jonathan, please. Since you know Sebastian Vettel very well, he's in talks with Helmut Marko about a possible future advisory role at Red Bull. Do you think such a role could suit him?

JW: Well, I think first of all trying to replace Helmut is quite a challenge in itself. I can't quite imagine how any one individual could do that. I haven't seen Sebastian for a while. He's a seriously impressive person, as you all know. I believe the conversations have been confirmed between the two parties, but whether that comes to anything, I don't know. But I'm hoping I see Helmut in that role for a much, much longer period of time.