“Total, utter nonsense”: Wolff rejects claims that Antonelli gifted Norris a place

Written by Kavi Khandelwal

The Mercedes camp left Qatar dealing not only with a disappointing P5 finish for Kimi Antonelli, but also with pointed accusations regarding the young driver’s conduct during the race. While the official focus was on Antonelli’s unlucky pit stop and costly error, the subtext was defined by the drama of the championship battle.

Credit: Formula One

Antonelli, speaking immediately after the race, expressed clear frustration over the strategic impact of the mandatory pit stops.

"Yeah, I mean pretty frustrating race. We were lucky with the pit stop having to hold for so long at the box and losing many places. It was a shame on that side and yeah, just I think after that the race was a bit compromised because I was stuck in Carlos’ dirty air. Just really struggling to get close and yeah, obviously a bit annoyed with that."

Crucially, the Italian rookie took full responsibility for the move that ultimately cost him position to Lando Norris, a moment that had raised eyebrows in the rival paddock.

Antonelli stated: "And then obviously with two laps to go, I went in a bit quicker into Turn 9 and lost the rear and went off track. So definitely, you know, it was a mistake and I need to move forward now."

Despite the challenging weekend, Antonelli saw progress in his performance, identifying areas for growth ahead of the season finale.

"This weekend was quite okay. I think on this kind of track, I need to work a bit more, especially with my driving style. But overall, I think we did a good step over the weekend. And, you know, today I had a good start. I had a decent pace in the first in, but yeah, just a shame to come away with a P5 and considering that the podium was so close."

The accusation that Antonelli intentionally yielded his position to Lando Norris in the final stages drew a swift and ferocious defense from Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, who dismissed the notion of championship interference.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that... How brainless can you be to even say something like this? Why would we even think about interfering in a Drivers’ Championship? You really need to check yourself."

The P5 finish, while frustrating for Antonelli, ensures the championship drama will now move to the final round in Abu Dhabi with the focus split between the tight driver battle and the fierce political rivalry brewing in the paddock.