Wolff credits Verstappen himself, not Red Bull's upgrade, for Austria title scare

Max Verstappen came closer to his first victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season than at any point before in Austria, finishing 1.6 seconds behind race winner George Russell at the Red Bull Ring after starting fifth. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, however, is not crediting Red Bull’s major upgrade package for that threat — he is crediting Verstappen himself.

“Red Bull is one thing, but it was Max Verstappen,” Wolff said after the race. “For me, how it feels is like Max won every single race here that he’s ever participated in, in whatever car. Spielberg is one of his strong places.”

Verstappen has indeed won five Formula 1 races at the Red Bull Ring, including both the Styrian and Austrian Grands Prix in 2021. Red Bull arrived in Spielberg with a significant upgrade aimed at closing the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari, the two teams that had appeared to hold the performance edge in recent rounds. Wolff acknowledged the package delivered a step forward, but maintained the bigger variable was the driver.

“That car performed well this weekend,” Wolff said. “I think the biggest factor this weekend was Max, to be honest. He’s able to bring out everything that is in that car. You can see that with his team-mates. That’s why you can never discount or underestimate the Verstappen factor for a championship.”

Wolff was also asked whether Verstappen should now be considered a genuine title threat, or at least a points-taker capable of disrupting the championship picture. The Mercedes boss deflected with a joke, suggesting the framing was an “over-complication” — though he did not dismiss the broader point entirely.

“Max is always good for playing a role in the championship,” he added.

Despite the strong showing in Austria, Verstappen’s championship position remains distant. The result was only his second podium of the season, leaving him seventh in the standings, 98 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian, who finished third in Spielberg, now holds a 40-point advantage over Russell, with Lewis Hamilton third, a further six points adrift.