Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has dismissed claims of “dirty play” by Red Bull during the Singapore Grand Prix, in response to McLaren’s accusations that Red Bull manipulated the race for a strategic advantage. The controversy centers around Daniel Ricciardo setting the fastest lap on the final lap, preventing Lando Norris from securing an additional point.
The incident unfolded when Ricciardo, running in P18, was called into the pits for soft tyres with two laps remaining, despite his car showing no signs of issues. On his final lap, the Australian driver recorded the fastest time at Marina Bay Circuit. However, as he finished outside the top 10, Ricciardo did not receive the point for the fastest lap, but his effort denied Norris the opportunity to close the gap to championship leader Max Verstappen by an extra point.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown raised concerns that Red Bull, which owns both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri (Ricciardo’s team), might have orchestrated the move to limit Norris’s gains in the championship. Despite these concerns, Wolff dismissed the idea that Red Bull acted unfairly, stating:
“I don’t think it was dirty play. Not at all. It could come down to a point, and it was within the regulations,” Wolff said in a press conference. “You’ve got to probably play all strategies that you have. The drivers weren’t unfair with each other, so I think it’s no big deal.”
Lewis Hamilton also shared his thoughts on the matter, offering a more critical perspective:”I think it’s a little bit cheeky, to be honest. When you’re competing for every point in this championship, moments like these matter. But if it’s within the rules, then there’s not much we can do,” Hamilton remarked.
The incident has reignited debates about the fairness of one organization controlling two teams in Formula 1, with some teams, including McLaren, calling for stricter regulations to prevent similar situations in the future. For now, however, the FIA has not announced any investigation into the matter, and Red Bull maintains that their strategy was perfectly legitimate.
