Max Verstappen at centre of blunt ‘ship has sailed’ Toto Wolff assessment

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, fears “that ship has sailed” when it comes to Max Verstappen’s F1 2025 title hopes.

And he reckons Lando Norris has a “very, very solid” advantage entering the final three races as he holds a 24-point lead over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

Toto Wolff: ‘Ship has sailed’ for Max Verstappen’s F1 2025 hopes

As Formula 1 heads to Las Vegas, three drivers still – mathematically – have a chance of winning the F1 2025 title: Norris, Piastri and Verstappen.

With a maximum of 83 points in play for three grands prix and the Qatar sprint, Norris is leading the standings on 390 points, 24 ahead of his teammate Piastri after regaining P1 with his victory at the Mexican Grand Prix, while Verstappen is 49 points off the pace.

That Verstappen is even still in the title fight is a testament to his talent, and a question for McLaren’s papaya rules.

In a season in which the MCL39 has been the dominant car, McLaren wrapped up the constructors’ title at the Singapore Grand Prix, doing so with six races to spare.

The drivers’ championship, though, could go down to the wire.

McLaren’s call to keep it fair between its drivers – dubbed the papaya rules – has meant Norris and Piastri have seven wins apiece. It’s also meant that Verstappen, trailing both drivers in wins and podiums, is still in the running.

McLaren’s decisions, notably in Monza and Singapore, kept the door ajar for Verstappen, who hit a purple patch and narrowed his deficit to P1 to 36 points.

Norris, however, put an end to talk of the reigning world champion making it five on the trot as he put in a dominant display at the Brazilian Grand Prix to grab a score a maximum 33 points and surge ahead of Verstappen by 49, despite the latter’s run from the pit lane to the podium at the Interlagos circuit.

It has Wolff declaring Verstappen’s title bid is over.

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“How many points is Max behind? That ship has sailed,” he said as per Motorsport.com.

The Mercedes team principal, who himself has had to manage intra-team battles as his former drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg when wheel-to-wheel for the title, applauded McLaren’s handling of Norris and Piastri.

Now that Verstappen is out of the mix, he reckons the gloves can really come off.

“I think how they handle it is very well,” Wolff said. “It’s very good, letting them race. I don’t see a situation where they take each other out.

“I think just let them race, make no contact. But the gap that Lando has now is very, very solid.

“But they can’t afford the DNF either, because then it swings in the other direction.

“Obviously, from a spectator standpoint, you would want to see that going into the last race equal points or similar points.

“But he was impressive in the last few races, how he held the nerves and how he scored the points.

“Does it get more tense within the team though? Absolutely.

“But as a team principal, as a team boss here, you just need to hold the grip on it.”

Wolff reckons that while McLaren may yet face a more tension-fraught battle in the final three races of the season, team principal Andrea Stella will keep a handle on it.

“Absolutely, but as a team principal, you just need to hold the grip on it and not allow any shots from outside.

“I think how they handle it is very good, letting them race. I don’t see a situation where they’re taking each other out.”

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