Mercedes boss Toto Wolff 'still hasn’t got over' 2021 Abu Dhabi GP - Helmut Marko

Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko has said after the Singapore GP that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has still not got over the incidents in Abu Dhabi last season.

Mercedes lost the driver championship to Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the last lap of a controversial Abu Dhabi race last year. After reports of Red Bull breaching the cost cap last season emerged, Wolff aimed potshots at the team.

Marko did not take the comments lightly, telling motorsport-total.com that the Mercedes boss is yet to get over the title loss in Abu Dhabi.

"It’s a massive damage to reputation! Abu Dhabi is long gone. It’s a bit strange that he still hasn’t got over it."

One thing Marko found worrying was the 'massive overrun' cited by Wolff, which goes beyond 'political denigration'. He said:

“It is more than surprising how Toto Wolff came up with these numbers. He speaks of a massive overrun. There must be a leak somewhere at the FIA. This now goes beyond the usual political denigration. These are concrete and serious allegations. In our opinion, we are under it (the cap). If you interpret that to our disadvantage, we would be marginally over it.”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner was also not happy with the 'unfounded allegations' made against his team. Terming the comments deflamatory, he said at the Singapore Grand Prix constructors’ press conference:

"What I said absolutely stands. Let’s consider all of our options. It is totally unacceptable to make a totally unfounded allegation, and on the basis of what knowledge? What is the source of this information? This is a confidential submission between the teams and the FIA. I have no idea of the compliance of any of our rivals."

Horner also questioned the source of the information for Mercedes, saying:

"Where does that information come from? Let’s complete the process. We have not been informed we are in breach of the regulations. So let’s get to the end of the process and understand where we are.”

The FIA is set to make their cost cap ruling on October 10.

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What did Mercedes boss say about Red Bull's reported cost cap breach?

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was one of the first team principals to talk about the alleged cost cap breach.

In what were arguably sensational statements from Wolff, the Mercedes boss said that it was an open paddock secret that there was a cost cap breach. He said:

“It’s funny that Christian says that, because it’s been weeks and months they’re being investigated, so maybe he doesn’t speak to his CFO (Chief Financial Officer). As a matter of fact, all of us have been investigated diligently."

He continued:

"As far as we understand, there’s a team in minor breach, which is more procedural, and another team that is fundamentally, massively over, and that is being still looked at. So that’s an open secret in the paddock.”

With the FIA delaying the cost cap announcement after the Japanese GP on October 9, it will be interesting to see the paddock sentiments on display this weekend.