Toto warns Red Bull: ‘Gloves are off’

– Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff may have seen his world champion team claim victory in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, but he still insists the “gloves are off” when the duel for supremacy with rivals Red Bull resumes tomorrow.

Valtteri Bottas gave Mercedes a pole-to-flag win at the Red Bull Ring last weekend as the 2020 championship finally roared into life.

However, teammate and world champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth after facing two protests from Red Bull on the eve of the race over his qualifying tactics.

Hamilton was relegated from second to fifth on the grid before a late collision with Red Bull’s Alex Albon torpedoed his hopes of a podium, despite finishing second on the track.

“We were lucky to finish the race and reliability is a real concern. We are working on it as our highest priority,” admitted Wolff.

But stung by the daily protests from Red Bull, he warned rival team chief Christian Horner and his team: “It’s serious now. Gloves off. No more nice stuff – we are in a real fight to win.

“So, in a short and intense season like this, with a yet to be determined number of races, every point is going to count.”

Horner responded: “Last week, I think a win could have been on the cards, We were strategically sharp, very strong and it was a shame we won no points for it.”

The second race of the season takes place at the same bio-secure Spielberg circuit nestled in the foothills of the Styrian Alps. – AFP