Wolff Dismisses F1 'Black Eye' Suggestions: 'You Are Talking About A F****ng Drain Cover'
F1Friday, 17 November 2023 at 15:00
Updated at Sunday, 31 December 2023 at 22:43
Toto Wolff snapped at critics who suggested the incident of Carlos Sainz might be a black eye for F1 after the FP1 at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Free Practice Session One saw an early end not even 10 minutes in, when the Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had to stop his car on the side of the track after hitting a loose drain cover.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was asked whether this incident involving Sainz and his Ferrari is a black eye for F1, and he told the media:
"That is not a black eye, this is nothing. We are Thursday night, we have a free practice session one that we’re not doing, they’re going to seal the drain covers and nobody is going to talk about it tomorrow morning anymore."
Wolff dismissed the incident saying it was not the first time that this happened. He urged everybody to give credit to people who organized the Las Vegas Grand Prix instead of looking for mistakes that could be criticized.
"And then you’re speaking about a f***ing drain cover that’s been undone that’s happened before, that’s nothing. It’s FP1. Give credit to the people that have set up this grand prix, that have made this sport much bigger than it ever was."
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur revealed the loose drain cover damaged "completely the monocoque, the engine, the battery."
Wolff admitted it is unfortunate for Sainz and Ferrari and said it is something that needs to be examined. However, he does agree with statements marking it the black eye of F1.
"That’s really a shame for Carlos, it could have been dangerous. Between the track and the FIA and everybody, we need to analyse how we can make sure this is not happening again, but talking here about the black eye for the sport on a Thursday evening."
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