Toto Wolff Refuses to Answer ‘Patronizing’ Question Over Frederic Vasseur, Giving Honest Confession on 20+ Years of Friendship

Mercedes and Ferrari’s rivalry is one of the oldest in Formula 1. Not only are they manufacturer teams, but they are also power unit suppliers. For them, it’s all about proving which team is quicker, making them a more attractive brand for consumers to opt for. One thing interesting about this rivalry is that the team principals, Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur, are friends who go way back. How does this work in the F1 dynamic?

At the Friday press conference ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Toto Wolff, Bruno Famin, Fred Vasseur, and Alessandro Alunni-Bravi were tasked with questions from the press. Among all the reporters, Luke Smith from The Athletic asked the Mercedes boss about his relationship with Vasseur. The question continued to ask about what the Austrian thinks about the work the Ferrari principal has been doing with the team. This led to an interesting revelation from Wolff, so let’s get behind it.

Toto Wolff breaks down his rivalry with his friend Fred Vasseur

The press conference covered many important factors that each team had to address about the Spanish Grand Prix. Luke Smith had a question for Toto Wolff as he stated, “What have you made of the job he’s been doing so far at Ferrari? And how has the dynamic between you guys been?” Furthermore, he asked about how the rivalry between the teams has been over the last 18 months.

After explaining the dynamics of their friendship since the early 2000s, Wolff breaks down how F1 puts the two friends up against each other. After commending Vasseur for his journey so far, the Mercedes boss explained, “We have a more intense rivalry, so there’s a few things maybe which we don’t share with each other anymore.”

Further explaining their relationship, Wolff said, “We’re both emotional people, so sometimes those emotions can boil up, but we understand each other, that we just have to do the best for our teams, and that may sometimes go against the other team. But that is the nature of the job.” The two have a friendship spanning almost two decades, and Wolff explains that their jobs won’t ever hinder that.

When it came to speaking about whether Frederic Vasseur has done a good job with the team, Wolff was diplomatic as he wears similar shoes as Vasseur. The Mercedes boss explained, “I think it would be wrong for me, and patronizing, for me to say whether the job is good or not, that he’s done. From the outside, what I see is the team seems to be much more structured, a no-bullshit approach.”

Concluding his answer, Toto Wolff credited the French team principal for making the team as competitive as they are today and also for the race wins this season. With Charles Leclerc taking his home win at Monaco, will Carlos Sainz bring pride to Spain this weekend?

Ferrari’s position after the final practice session in Spain

The people of Spain and Tifoso all over the world are rooting for Ferrari, as this will be the last home race for Carlos Sainz in the red. With him being replaced by Lewis Hamilton in 2025, this is his last chance to bring home victory with the legendary team. So far his best finish has been P4 in 2022 and this year he looks stronger than ever.

So far, Sainz has not yet confirmed a seat for his future as he wants to focus on the Spanish Grand Prix. After finishing the quickest in the practice sessions in the FP3, we know that Ferrari’s car is competitive and will be a challenge for Red Bull to deal with.

Charles Leclerc has a similar best finish at P4 in 2020, and although Sainz is a favorite for the race, winning this race will put him closer to competing for the win. The last race was a disaster for both Ferraris as they had to retire both cars. Let’s see how they fare in Spain.

Toto Wolff is noticing the progress in Ferrari, however, Mercedes made a comeback in Canada. With such an intense season where battles are getting closer, who do you think will win the Spanish Grand Prix? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.