Mercedes Chief Gives Verdict On Rumored Red Bull VCARB Collaboration In Singapore GP

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff comments on claims that VCARB purposefully helped Red Bull in the championship fight with late-race Daniel Ricciardo move.

2022 Belgian Grand Prix, Saturday- Mercedes Press Image / Jiri Krenek

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has firmly stated his position on the contentious incident involving Red Bull's sister team, VCARB, during the Singapore Grand Prix.

During the race, VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest lap, effectively stripping Lando Norris of a crucial point in his fight against Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

McLaren team chief Andrea Stella claimed the move was "peculiar" when speaking to the media after the race. He commented:

"This is a big matter. You know, as soon as you invoke the sportsmanship, I think you need to approach this with a sense of responsibility, that I want to have.

"I don't know the facts. I just saw that RB went for the fastest lap, and they achieved it. But for me here talk about sportsmanship and so on, I think is... it would be out of place. So I think we have to take it at face value.

"They scored the fastest lap, and potentially as part of a longer-term conversation, we need to put the sport in a position in which, at any stage - being it trackside or being it factory-side - teams behave in a totally autonomous manner, because this is a constructors' championship.

"This needs to be definitely addressed. But at no point I have elements now to say RB went for the fastest lap to support the Red Bull. I just find it a little... how to say... peculiar. I did not see it coming.

"I was a little surprised that the highest priority of RB racing in Singapore was to go and score the fastest lap of the race. I think we just have to work harder to make sure that this [championship] doesn't come down to a point."

Wolff dismissed any accusations of foul play, confirming that all actions taken were within the regulatory framework of the sport. He explained, as quoted by GP Blog:

"I think you have to probably play all strategies. I don't think it was a dirty play. Not at all. It was within the regulations. There drivers were not unfair with each other."

2024 Singapore Grand Prix Results

1. Lando Norris
2. Max Verstappen
3. Oscar Piastri
4. George Russell
5. Charles Leclerc
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Carlos Sainz
8. Fernando Alonso
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Sergio Perez
11. Franco Colapinto
12. Yuki Tsunoda
13. Esteban Ocon
14. Lance Stroll
15. Zhou Guanyu
16. Valtteri Bottas
17. Pierre Gasly
18. Daniel Ricciardo - Fastest Lap
19. Kevin Magnussen - DNF
20. Alex Albon - DNF