Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff is in the corner where the blows are falling, but at the same time he also has a lot of respect for what Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur and Carlos Sainz have managed to achieve.
You might consider it a rare accolade from Toto Wolff for the competition, but after the Australian GP she was there for Frederic Vasseur and Carlos Sainz. Toto Wolff and Vasseur get along quite well and he realizes that the pressure on Vasseur's shoulders as Ferrari team boss is particularly great.
In addition, Toto Wolff also has an incredible amount of admiration for what Carlos Sainz was able to achieve in Australia, namely winning the race while two weeks earlier he had to have his appendix removed and complete an intense rehabilitation. To achieve such a great performance under those circumstances, Toto Wolff has an incredible amount of respect for that.
“First and foremost I am happy for Ferrari,” said Toto Wolff. “I'm happy for Fred. He deserves this. Last year we flew here together. During the flight from Dubai to Melbourne something suddenly shot in his back and he could not sit or sleep, he stood upright in the plane for thirteen hours. Then one of the two cars crashed and the other car finished fourth, it was dramatic.”
“There was pressure from all of Italy and now he achieved a n-two. Even though I hate the situation we are in, he deserves this, Ferrari deserves this, Italy deserves this and Carlos deserves this. After not only having his appendix removed, but also after he was basically told 'you won't be here on the team in the future'. Then this happens. You see what human power is capable of when it really matters.”
Praise from Toto Wolff for Frederic Vasseur and Carlos Sainz. However, Wolff also made it clear that Sainz is certainly one of the possible candidates to succeed Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.