Mercedes will not involve itself in Sunday’s title fight in Abu Dhabi, with Toto Wolff adamant it is “a three-way fight”, even if two of those cars are powered by Mercedes engines.
Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri ahead into Sunday’s title-decider at the Abu Dhabi circuit, separated by three points with a host of permutations depending on how the fight goes.
Toto Wolff: ‘May the best man win’
Although the odds are in Norris’ favour as he leads Verstappen by 12 points with Piastri a further four off the pace, any of the three could yet win it.
Rival teams could also play a big role, as Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko pointed out after Qatar.
That Sunday Verstappen claimed the win, his fifth in eight grands prix, ahead of Piastri and Carlos Sainz while Kimi Antonelli almost kept Norris at bay before a mistake at the start of the opening lap opened the door for the championship leader to attack and overtake.
“I hope Mercedes is competitive,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media.
“Ferrari, maybe, in Abu Dhabi.
“The more cars that are in between, the better for us.”
It had Mercedes 2016 World Champion Rosberg pondering whether Mercedes would rather McLaren win the titles, given the Woking team’s cars are powered by Mercedes engines.
He put that question to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff on Saturday where Russell put paid to a Norris hat-trick in the practice sessions.
The Sky F1 guest pundit said: “With George maybe playing a role in the championship right up front there, does it matter to you that McLaren is running Mercedes engines?
“Like, is that part of the consideration at all when it comes to it, or you just literally do not care? Red Bull or McLaren?”
Wolff made his thoughts crystal clear.
“No, we have to keep out of this,” he insisted. “This is a three-way fight between three drivers.
“The Constructors’ Championship is won by McLaren with our power unit. May the best man win.”
More on the F1 2025 title race
👉 How Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri can seal the F1 2025 title
👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings
Wolff condemns ‘sad’ online abuse
The Austrian also weighed in on recent accusations against Mercedes driver Antonelli in the title fight when he was accused by Red Bull, who were quick to apologise, of letting Norris through in Qatar.
The teenager received online abuse and even death threats after Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase said over team radio.: “It looked like he just pulled over and let Lando through.”
Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko later told reporters it was “so obvious” that Norris was “waved” through by Antonelli.
Red Bull later issued a statement clarifying that suggestions Antonelli had “deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect”, that didn’t stop the torrent of abuse.
Asked about that, Wolff said: “Well, first of all, I’m thankful because Oliver [Mintzlaff], who runs Red Bull and GP and Laurent, have reached out and have apologised, which I think just shows, you know, the class of our competitors also.
“To the ones that sit behind their keyboard, you know, they are just sick.
“I’m sad for them. You know, like I said many years ago, you’re having a laptop on your chest. God knows what you have done just before. You’ve written that little note.
“So I have no respect for anyone… go and screw you.”
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