Wolff predicts ‘animals are going to come out’ as McLaren title fight ramps up

All too familiar with intra-team title battles, Toto Wolff says the “animals are going to come out” now that McLaren has sealed the Constructors’ Championship, and did so despite a clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore.

It is, however, a problem that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur would happily accept.

Oscar Piastri v Lando Norris just got a bit spicy

After 17 respectful and harmonious grand prix weekends, in which championship leader Piastri and runner-up Norris traded seven 1-2 results, McLaren hit its first flashpoint in the F1 2025 Drivers’ Championship in Singapore.

On the cusp of wrapping up the Constructors’ Championship, that a mere formality given McLaren’s huge lead over the chasing pack, Piastri and Norris had contact on the opening lap at the Marina Bay circuit with the Briton “barging”, Piastri’s choice of word, into his Australian teammate.

Despite McLaren’s papaya rules, which are pretty much ‘don’t crash into each other’, the team opted not to take any action with Piastri calling that “not fair”.

Told the Norris had to avoid Verstappen, he hit back: “Yeah, but if he has to avoid another car by crushing it for his teammate, then that’s a pretty s*** job of avoiding.”

The teammates went on to finish the grand prix third and fourth, with Norris ahead, sealing the Constructor’s Championship for McLaren with only the Drivers’ still in play.

The general consensus is that the ground rules were reset in Singapore.

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Mercedes team principal Wolff agrees, and like the rest of the paddock, he’s looking forward to seeing it play out.

“Yeah, seen that movie a few times,” he quipped to the media in Singapore about the intensifying McLaren rivalry.

“I think how Andrea and Zak are doing it is actually quite good, talking about it, how they are managing it in a very transparent way.

“But obviously it gets slim and it’s gonna come to a situation where a few points will matter, and then start to calculate and back calculate.

“I guess the animals are going to come out of it a bit more, and that is when it starts to be interesting.

“But, you know, these guys on top of it. The management in McLaren is on top of it, and for us as fans it’s going to be interesting to look at.”

Former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley has also had his fair share of teammate troubles when Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s relationship imploded in the ‘Multi 21′ controversy at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix.

He applauded McLaren’s handling of the title fight.

“First of all,” said the Sauber team principal, “I just want to congratulate everyone at McLaren for what’s been an extraordinary season on their part.

“Managing two incredibly competitive drivers who are very, very close to each other is not an easy thing to do, especially over the course of its championship season.

“The way McLaren have chosen to do that is at least transparent and open and honest. And I think again, to seal the Constructors’ Championship this early in the season just goes to show what domination that they have.”

For Ferrari team boss Vasseur, it’s a problem he’d like to have.

“We all have to deal with our own issues,” said the Frenchman. “It’s always a problem when you are 1-2 in the championship. It’s not a drama, but what you can expect? They are 1-2 in the championship. They are doing their job, and it’s not up to the team to decide.”

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