MX23RW : Saturday, November 7 15:18:47| >> :600:109856:109856:

Party goes on without 'party mode' - Wolff

Party goes on without 'party mode' - Wolff
© Reuters
'Party mode' may be gone, but Toto Wolff says the party will go on for Mercedes in 2020.

'Party mode' may be gone, but Toto Wolff says the party will go on for Mercedes in 2020.

The dominant F1 team's boss poked fun at rivals like Red Bull who pushed hard for the FIA to restrict engine usage to a single mode from Monza.

"We still had a very good party," Wolff told Sky Italia after Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas locked out the front row of the grid, eight tenths ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz.

"I'm glad the efforts of some teams went nowhere. In the end we didn't use the engine so much, so maybe we have saved ten seconds for the race."

Max Verstappen is just fifth on the grid, almost a full second behind pole.

"I'm not sure how happy Red Bull is now with this engine change," said Bottas.

Verstappen, however, is not distraught, insisting he will wait until a "more normal track" to make a "final judgement" about the party mode ban.

"I never expected to beat Mercedes," said the Dutchman. "It was others who thought we would catch up.

"I have my own opinion on things and try not to dream. If you are realistic, you don't have to be disappointed later.

"I have never seen myself fighting for this championship. It's a miracle for me that I am second, but I'm 47 points behind Lewis and tomorrow it will be over 50," said Verstappen.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, meanwhile, is continuing to support Verstappen's teammate Alex Albon, especially after Hamilton criticised the struggling British-born Thai.

"He's done better again - he's only three tenths behind Max," he said. "Alex took another step forward, which makes it acceptable. Of course he should be closer, but for now we will continue to see how he develops.

"I can't understand what Lewis said," Marko added. "Last year he called us several times saying that we should put Alex in the car."

ID:413192:cQx

Click here for more stories about Toto Wolff

Click here for more stories about Mercedes

Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Belgian Grand Prix on August 30, 2020
Read Next:
Lewis Hamilton creates history to secure pole at Italian Grand Prix
>
Latest Sports Video

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Premier League
Championship
FA Cup
La Liga
Serie A
Bundesliga
Ligue 1
Eredivisie
Primeira Liga
National League
National League North
National League South
Scottish Championship
Scottish League One
Scottish League Two
Turkish Super Lig
Belgian Pro League
Greek Superleague
Swiss Super League
Russian Premier League
Ukrainian Premier League
Norwegian Eliteserien
Swedish Allsvenskan
NIFL Premiership
League of Ireland Premier
Welsh Premier League
Belarusian Premier League
Segunda Division
Serie B
2.Bundesliga
Ligue 2
Eerste Divisie
Brasileiro
Copa de la Liga Profesional
Uruguayan Primera Division
Liga MX
Chinese Super League playoffs
Chinese Super League playoffs
Premier League 2 - Div 1
International Friendlies
Women's Super League
Rugby Championship

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!