Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff sent Williams boss James Vowles a present following Carlos Sainz's podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After starting the race on the front row of the grid alongside pole-sitter Max Verstappen, Sainz was beaten in the pit stop phase of the race by George Russell. However, the Spaniard had enough pace in hand to come home in third place and bag Williams' first podium since the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. It is also the first podium Williams has scored under Vowles' tenure after the Briton left his senior position at Mercedes in early 2023. Having worked closely with Wolff for several years during Mercedes' championship-winning years, the duo are known to share a close friendship. Wolff took the opportunity to poke fun at his former colleague's achievement on Sunday evening with a gif and a cheeky message. The gift included a bottle of champagne and some chocolate. See the post below!
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Vamos, @WilliamsRacing 💪 Congrats on the smooth operation today. Enjoy the goodies 🙌🍫🍾 pic.twitter.com/cDlo1m7n7k — Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 21, 2025
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