Wolff Draws Level with Frank Williams on Nine Constructors’ Titles

With the Mercedes championship at Interlagos on Sunday, Toto Wolff has put his name in the same category as Sir Frank Williams for most constructors’ titles. It was the ninth of its kind under Wolff’s watch, placing him at the top of the all-time list among those who run F1 teams. All told, Wolff has 17 titles in total, equal to what Ron Dennis had when he was done. As a constructor, too, Mercedes is now on par with Williams on nine, third in the sport behind Ferrari’s 16 and McLaren’s 10.

Wolff was not one to make much of the record in Brazil when it came up. “I had a close relationship with Frank, and to be there, it’s amazing,” he said, then moved on to next season which he admitted has been on his mind. A good day was had with George Russell putting in a fourth and Kimi Antonelli a fifth; it also marked the first occasion on which Mercedes has won a title with neither of their cars on the podium.

Why the comparison holds

Between 2014 and 2021 Wolff had his first eight in a row, the Mercedes engine having cast the rest of the grid into its shadow. Then came three seasons under ground-effect rules with no constructors’ title to show for it, an unworkable car and a reorganization the team has never explained in public. The ninth has arrived in the first year of a new engine formula, with a 20-year-old world champion in the seat.

It is a pattern one sees with Williams and Dennis as well. Frank Williams won with Honda power, then lost the tie and made his way back to the top with Renault. Dennis put McLaren back in order after the Prost and Senna era and had Mika Hakkinen to win with. Getting the right package when the time is right is one thing, but to do so once it has run its course is something else. Only three men in the history of the championship have pulled off that sort of feat.