Toto Wolff: “Jos [Verstappen] Was a Step Above Me”

Toto Wolff recently found himself in a bit of a fender-bender during a Netflix-filmed track day at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix venue. Behind the wheel of a Mercedes AMG GT3, Wolff lost control while navigating the Rivazza corner, resulting in a minor collision with the wall. Thankfully, the 52-year-old Austrian emerged unscathed from what was dubbed a “little love tap” by a Mercedes spokesperson.

The track day at Imola wasn’t just any ordinary outing. Wolff was accompanied by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a rising star in motorsport, along with his father, Marco Antonelli. The GT3 car they drove was prepped by AKM Motorsport, a team based in San Marino led by Antonelli Sr. And to add to the excitement, a Netflix crew was on hand to capture the action for the upcoming season of F1’s popular documentary series, Drive to Survive.

Now, the burning question remains: did Netflix manage to catch Wolff’s mishap on camera? Well, we’ll have to wait until 2025 to find out if the incident makes it into Season 7. However, oe24 was present at the track and had a conversation with the Mercedes boss in the middle of his runs. When asked if he’d be up for a rally race against Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, Wolff humbly acknowledged that he is not at the level of the Former F1 driver. “Jos [Verstappen] was a step above me,“ Wolff told oe24.

Adding on his current driving skills, Wolff added, “My driving skills are not ideal at the moment. During our tests in Imola, I had a problem with the traction control and I hit the wall after two laps.” Despite the scare, Wolff reassured everyone that he was unharmed, even jokingly mentioning his previous bicycle accidents. Remarkably, after repairs were made to the car, Wolff got back on track for a few more laps.

Jos Verstappen, whom Wolff considered a step above him, was quite the talent in Formula 1. However, he never got the chance to compete at the sharp end of the sport.

Jos Verstappen’s Formula 1 career in a nutshell

Jos Verstappen‘s Formula 1 journey began with testing for the Footwork team in 1993. His impressive performance caught the attention of many teams, with all except Ferrari and Williams expressing interest in signing him. In 1994, he joined Benetton, initially as a replacement for the injured JJ Lehto. Jos experienced both highs and lows during his time with Benetton, including podium finishes in Hungary and Belgium, as well as a terrifying incident at the German Grand Prix where his car caught fire during a pit stop.

After his stint at Benetton, Jos moved to Simtek in 1995 before transitioning to Footwork in 1996. He showed promise with Footwork, however, his season was cut short due to a crash in the Belgian Grand Prix, resulting in a neck injury. Jos continued his Formula 1 journey with various teams over the years, including Tyrrell, Stewart, and Arrows. Despite his talent, he faced challenges such as uncompetitive cars and team struggles, which affected his performance on the track. His career also saw him testing for different teams and even taking on roles as a test driver when he didn’t have a race seat.

In 2003, Jos made his final return to F1 with the Minardi team. However, dissatisfaction with the team’s performance led him to leave at the end of the season. Despite participating in 107 Grands Prix and achieving two podium finishes, Verstappen decided to step away from the sport after struggling to find a competitive drive.

Would you want to see Toto Wolff taking on Jos Verstappen on track? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.

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