Toto Wolff – Syndication Server

Wolff admits Mercedes situation is ‘brutally painful’

Mercedes is in a “brutally painful” position three races into the Formula 1 season, team principal Toto Wolff concedes. Mercedes has only scored a best result of fifth place so far this season, with both cars retiring from the last round in …

Mercedes is in a “brutally painful” position three races into the Formula 1 season, team principal Toto Wolff concedes.

Mercedes has only scored a best result of fifth place so far this season, with both cars retiring from the last round in Melbourne. Lewis Hamilton was out early with a power unit issue, while George Russell crashed in the closing laps chasing Fernando Alonso. A post-race penalty for Alonso cost Aston Martin two points and dropped it behind Mercedes into fifth in the constructors’ standings, and Wolff insists there is reason for optimism but he doesn’t know when Mercedes will turn its form around.

“When I look at the positives, I think we took many potential root causes out of the equation,” Wolff said. “We weren’t sure about our suspension. We weren’t sure about the stiffness of our gearbox carrier. We had a vibrating steering rack. All of those things have disappeared.

“But fundamentally, whatever we see in the tunnel doesn’t correlate with what’s happening on the track. It is not a single person that says, ‘I would interpret that data in this way’ and because of dogmatism, we’re not making any progress. I don’t see dogmatism. I see an open environment where people share, where people say, ‘Maybe in my area we are making mistakes.’

“It’s so tough — in my career, in everything I’ve done before, be it in finance and investment — that you know which screws to turn. Sometimes it takes time because back in my Williams days, I knew what was missing. But here, I don’t think we are missing something. It is just a complication of what’s happening with the car that we can’t see.

“It’s like an on-off switch. And then you see the progress that McLaren and Ferrari have made. This is the difference between last year and this year. [Melbourne] was a pretty good weekend for us last year. We were leading at the beginning, one and two. So we’ve got to really dig deep because it is brutally painful.”

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While Mercedes is arguably the fifth-fastest team at the moment, Wolff says the progress made by its immediate rivals behind Red Bull serve as a reminder of what is possible even after a difficult start to a season.

“I think there were times in the race where we massively lacked pace. And then there were times at the end when you compare like for like, we were doing OK,” he noted. “Still not where we want to be. But you could see in the second stint, Fernando on the medium, we couldn’t come anywhere close.

“The lap times looked like a second off the McLaren’s. And then suddenly the last one, when we went for it, not worrying too much, the lap times were competitive. Not [matching Carlos] Sainz, but it was much better.

“So clearly, we started the season in the belief that this car is better than it was last year. Then you look at last year and look at these guys — [Charles] Leclerc crashed out and Sainz was fourth and got relegated to outside of the top 10 because of the penalty. But on the road, he was fourth and McLaren was 17th, 18th, 19th. And they are 40s ahead of us.

“So obviously on one side, I want to punch myself on the nose. But on the other side, it is also a testimony of that when you get things right, you can turn it around pretty quickly and you’ve just got to continue to believe. But at the moment it is very, a very tough time.”

Hamilton backs Wolff legal action due to lack of accountability, transparency at FIA

Lewis Hamilton says there is no transparency or accountability at the FIA and hopes Susie Wolff’s legal action against the governing body will lead to change. Wolff has filed a criminal complaint in French courts after statements made by the FIA in …

Lewis Hamilton says there is no transparency or accountability at the FIA and hopes Susie Wolff’s legal action against the governing body will lead to change.

Wolff has filed a criminal complaint in French courts after statements made by the FIA in December that she claims called her integrity into question, relating to a potential conflict of interest investigation including the F1 Academy managing director and her husband Toto. Hamilton suggests recent developments involving FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner — who were both cleared after internal investigations — shows there needs to be external influence on certain matters.

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“Firstly, I’m incredibly proud of Susie,” Hamilton said. “I think she is so brave, and she stands for such great values. She’s such a leader, and in a world where often people are silenced, for her to be standing up sends such a great message.

“I love that she’s taken it out of this world, fighting it from the outside, because there is a real lack of accountability here, within this sport, within the FIA — things that are happening behind closed doors, there is no transparency, there is really no accountability, and we need that. I think the fans need that. How can you trust the sport and what is happening here if you don’t have that?”

The FIA’s Ethics Committee announced on Wednesday night that it had cleared Ben Sulayem of any wrongdoing after allegations from a whistleblower regarding potential interference into F1 events, while at Red Bull the complainant against Horner has taken the matter to the governing body, having been suspended on full pay earlier this month.

“Hopefully this stand that [Wolff’s] taking now will create change, will have a positive impact, and especially for women,” Hamilton said. “It is still a male-dominated sport, and we’re living in a time where the message is if you file a complaint, you will be fired, and that is a terrible narrative to be projecting to the world, especially when we’re talking about inclusivity here in the sport. We need to make sure we stay true to the core values.”

When he and Mercedes teammate George Russell were asked if they are confident that Ben Sulayem is the right man to lead the FIA and has their backing, Hamilton said off-microphone: “He never has.”

For his part, Russell called for an explanation of the facts around recent investigations, admitting it’s tough to not be skeptical when attempts are made to keep them private.

“I think as drivers, we have a role within the teams, and you trust that the leaders in this sport have the best interests at their heart rather than their own interests,” Russell said. “I think it goes back to the transparency side of things. If things are transparent and we see the outcome of these cases, we all have a chance to judge for ourself with all of the facts and figures in front of us. But when we don’t have the facts and figures, and there is no transparency, you always think there’s something being hidden.

“That’s why I think it’s so important for the sport now, as Lewis said, to send the right message to everybody who is supporting Formula 1, watching Formula 1, wants to be involved in Formula 1, that things aren’t just swept under the carpet.”

Wolff would ‘love to have’ Verstappen at Mercedes

Toto Wolff admits Max Verstappen is a driver he would “love to have” at Mercedes next season but believes he needs to improve the car on offer to attract the three-time world champion. Verstappen’s future at Red Bull has come under increased …

Toto Wolff admits Max Verstappen is a driver he would “love to have” at Mercedes next season but believes he needs to improve the car on offer to attract the three-time world champion.

Verstappen’s future at Red Bull has come under increased scrutiny amid the power struggle that has been taking place following an investigation into Christian Horner’s alleged behavior, with Verstappen firmly backing Helmut Marko at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Dutchman stated Marko needs to stay or it could influence his own decision-making when it comes to remaining at Red Bull, and while the Austrian appears set to continue in his role, Wolff says he’d jump at the chance to sign Verstappen.

“Let’s word it like this, I think this is a decision that Max needs to take and there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car,” Wolff said.

“I’d love to have him, but first we need to sort out our car. First, we owe it to George [Russell] and Lewis [Hamilton] to improve the car and give them equipment that is good before dreaming about the future next year.”

With Mercedes securing a best finish of fifth in each of the opening two races, Wolff admits he expects Verstappen to want to stay at Red Bull given the dominance he is enjoying, even if he believes his management team are unhappy with current situation off-track.

“A driver will always try to be in the fastest possible car. That gives you the best chances of winning races and championships and this is where Max is at the moment. But Max is also … Jos [Verstappen] and Max and Raymond [Vermeulen, manager] are also people who are very straight, sometimes uncomfortably straight, and I think that’s something they will make up their mind on. But I think fundamentally a racing driver is calibrated to be in the best car.”

The links between Verstappen and Mercedes have gained more attention given the vacancy at Wolff’s team in 2025, as Hamilton heads to Ferrari. However, the team principal says he’s willing to see how the driver market plays out before committing to any replacement.

“I think we are going to wait. We are going to wait. We have a few interesting options and the more we are able to assess how the season pans out, young drivers with us against slightly older ones, that’s not going to be a decision that we want to take in the next few weeks, it will be in a few months depending on where it goes.”

Russell amused by drivers contacting him, Wolff over Mercedes seat

George Russell says he has had drivers contacting him as well as team boss Toto Wolff in relation to the vacant Mercedes seat that will be left by Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton is joining Ferrari in 2025, bringing to an end his 12-year stint with …

George Russell says he has had drivers contacting him as well as team boss Toto Wolff in relation to the vacant Mercedes seat that will be left by Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton is joining Ferrari in 2025, bringing to an end his 12-year stint with Mercedes and leaving one of the most competitive seats on the grid available. With multiple drivers also out of contract at the end of this season, Russell says he’s willing to be paired with anyone and has been receiving calls and messages himself as well as his team principal.

“It’s going to be an interesting few months to see what happens,” Russell said. “From my side, I’ve been teammates with arguably the greatest driver of all time for the past two years, and I’ve got no concerns at all who lines up alongside me. I want to be tested against the very best.

“I feel that’s what I’ve had the last two years. Whether it’s an experience driver or a young driver, I feel that personally I’m in a great position to help push the team forward and go into this next chapter for the team.

“I think for any team, it’s good to have harmony between the drivers, because that trickles down to all of the engineers and the whole team. But ultimately the decision is with Toto and the board.

“We’ve already had conversations — I’ve been with Toto a lot this winter, so seeing the drivers’ names pop up on the telephone is quite funny; and even on my phone as well, had quite a few phone calls and text messages.

“It’s been quite interesting. But as a team, we’re in a really good opportunity and position to go into this next chapter, to have so much success with Lewis and Mercedes, and [go] onto the next.”

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Whoever joins Russell is likely to still be chasing Red Bull according to the 26-year-old, saying Red Bull is “100%” the favorite even after just one day of pre-season testing.

“It (the W15) does feel a step in the right direction, but there’s no hiding that our competitors have also done a really great job. We know we had a mountain to climb with the performance Red Bull showed last year, for anybody to overcome that gap was a huge test. Definitely the car is feeling nicer to drive, but ultimately it’s down to the lap times.

“We still haven’t seen truly yet where everybody is falling out. But Red Bull seem to have done a really great job again, and they’re no doubt favorites.”

Wolff says Horner investigation must be ‘a process with rigor’

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff (pictured above) says the Red Bull investigation into Christian Horner needs to be “a process with rigor” to live up to the standards Formula 1 wants to maintain. Horner is the subject of an independent …

Horner is the subject of an independent investigation that was initiated by Red Bull GmbH due to allegations of inappropriate behavior, and faced an hours-long hearing nearly two weeks ago as part of the process. Horner has not been suspended while the investigation is ongoing and F1 has stated it hopes “the matter will be clarified at the earliest opportunity.”

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“I think it’s clear,” Wolff said ahead of preseason testing in Bahrain. “Formula 1 and what the teams do, we stand for inclusion, equality, fairness, diversity. And it’s not only talking about it, but living it day in, day out. I think these are the standards that we’re setting ourselves. We live in a global sport, one of the most important sports platforms in the world, and we are role models.

“But having said that, there is a lot of speculation that has been happening over the last weeks, speculation that we’ve heard of, and lots of things that are going on. I think what’s important at that stage is for a process with rigor.

“I think what Red Bull has started, as an independent investigation, if this is done in the right way with transparency and that rigor, it’s something that we need to look at, what the outcomes are and what it means for Formula 1, how we can learn from that.

“We want to talk about racing cars and we want to talk about the sport, rather than these kind of very, very critical topics that are more than just a team issue. It’s an issue for all of Formula 1, and in general for every individual that works out there.”

Horner, who denies the allegations, is due to appear during an F1-organized press conference on Thursday during the lunch break on the second day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Hamilton changed his mind about his future during the off-season, Wolff says

Toto Wolff admits he was surprised by the timing of Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari, saying that the seven-time world champion’s mind changed since the holidays. Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025 after activating a break clause in the …

Toto Wolff admits he was surprised by the timing of Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari, saying that the seven-time world champion’s mind changed since the holidays.

Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025 after activating a break clause in the two-year contract he signed with Mercedes in the second part of last year. Team principal Wolff says he felt Hamilton was committed heading into the Christmas break but was then told on Wednesday morning over breakfast that the 39-year-old had opted to move on.

“When we re-signed the contract with Lewis we opted for shorter-term, so the events are not a surprise, but maybe the timing is,” Wolff said. “What happened is that we got together for coffee in my place in Oxford, with him returning to the factory [this week], and he said to me that he has decided to race for Ferrari in 2025. That was basically it and we had a good hour of conversation and this is where we are.

“I cannot tell you exactly; all I know is that we were very aligned when we went in to the Christmas period and I think we have said that in public and in the team. You need to ask Lewis why he changed his mind.

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“How he framed it to me is perfectly understandable — he needed a new challenge and he was looking for a different environment and this was maybe the last possibility to do something else.

“We are big boys — we knew that signing a short-term contract could be of benefit to both sides. We couldn’t commit for a longer period and he has taken the option to exit. So, in a way, we totally respect that you can change your mind in different circumstances, and switching to Ferrari maybe for the last peak in his career, maybe rolling the dice a bit, I can follow that decision.”

Expanding on the discussion, Wolff says he didn’t try to change Hamilton’s mind once he was informed of the decision to leave, and that he was always aware of the allure of Ferrari.

“Yes, because every race driver dreams about being in a red overall and in the red car,” he conceded. “We’ve discussed it many times before that this would be exciting to do one day. But over the years we came to the conclusion that staying at Mercedes and finishing the legacy here is something that one can be proud of.

“But I never ignore the possibility of change — whether it’s Ferrari or another team — so this is what it is. The fact didn’t surprise me at all, maybe the timing; but I can understand where he was coming from and that was to protect the team’s interest going forward.”

Wolff is confident Mercedes continues to offer at least as much on the competition side as Ferrari does for Hamilton, but feels that ultimately the lure of driving a red car was too strong. Andy Hone/Motorsport Images

Wolff also insists Hamilton’s decision to leave is not a reflection on where Mercedes stands competitively, as he commits to winning more championships without his star driver.

“I think what he said is that he felt he needed change, and I can understand that. We have been together, I believe it was 12 years — I don’t know if any other driver has ever been that long with a team. We’ve had tremendous success, and we shared the opinion when we decided to sign that short-term contract that there may be opportunities for him and for us.

“Therefore, I think also one of the considerations was the opportunity to sign a longer-term contract with Ferrari and give it a really big go at the end of his career. We didn’t talk about whether the opportunity was better there or with us, because I don’t think you can say.

“At the end of the day, he is the most successful driver and we’ve had a sensational spell and journey together — that’s something that will go down in the history books and also in the Mercedes history books.

“But we’re the Mercedes Formula 1 team. We’re the best car brand in the world, a team with legacy and we want to finish this on a high in terms of his career. But I can promise you we will build another phase of success — more victories, more world championships in the years to come — and we will be looking back at this very, very good time with Lewis in the Mercedes.”

Mercedes has exciting options after Hamilton departure – Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the team has options that are “exciting to contemplate” when it comes to replacing Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton next year. Hamilton’s shock switch was confirmed on Thursday evening, with the seven-time world …

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the team has options that are “exciting to contemplate” when it comes to replacing Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton next year.

Hamilton’s shock switch was confirmed on Thursday evening, with the seven-time world champion activating a break clause in the two-year deal he signed in August to join Ferrari in 2025. Wolff says he knew that the partnership would have to end at some stage but that Mercedes has a number of possibilities to replace Hamilton.

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“In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that’s something we can look back on with pride; Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history,” Wolff said.

“However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come. We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.”

One such option could prove to be the driver Hamilton is replacing at Maranello, with Carlos Sainz on the market in 2025 and offering an experienced race winner. The Spaniard says his future plans will be announced at a later date.

“Following today’s news, Scuderia Ferrari and myself will part ways at the end of 2024,” Sainz said. “We still have a long season ahead of us and, like always, I will give my absolute best for the team and for the tifosi all around the world.

“News about my future will be announced in due course.”

FIA jumped to ‘bad conclusions’ over Wolffs – Vasseur

The FIA’s public statement about a potential investigation into a conflict of interest involving Toto and Susie Wolff was too hasty and “quite embarrassing for the whole sport,” according to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. The governing body …

The governing body issued a statement off the back of a single report in a monthly publication, saying it was looking into the matter of “the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM [Formula One Management] personnel.” That statement led to a robust response from Mercedes, the Wolffs and later the remaining nine teams on the grid, with a further FIA statement two days later backtracking after review of FOM’s F1 Code of Conduct and F1 Conflict of Interest Policy.

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“I think all this story is quite embarrassing for the whole sport,” Vasseur told select media in Maranello. “The story started with an article in a newspaper — I don’t know if a ‘newspaper’ is the right word — and I think in this situation when you are speaking about individuals, you have to be careful about what you are saying…

“I think it would have been appropriate from the FIA to … they needed 24 hours between the announcement and the second announcement, so it would have made sense to use that 24 hours before the first announcement to avoid any bad conclusions.”

At a time when a new Concorde Agreement is set to be discussed between F1, the FIA and the teams, Vasseur says he doesn’t think the current situation is overly damaging on that front, but noted how the FIA statements brought all 10 teams together in Susie Wolff’s defense.

“After the … ‘incident’ of last week … at least the teams were very united. I think it was the first conclusion for me, that we were able to act together, and it’s not very often. Even Red Bull was supportive with Toto, we have to notice it!

“Honestly, I think it’s a good point for us to take a position and discuss with all of the other stakeholders. I think it’s the first time that the teams together showed something like this. For sure we know each time that the Concorde Agreement is a crucial one, but I think that we are in a much better situation today than we were five years ago.

“Five years ago, before COVID, when we signed the current Concorde Agreement, we have to keep in mind that we had four or five teams almost in bankruptcy. Today it’s not the same situation at all. The business is much more sustainable thanks to the cost cap, thanks to the prize fund distribution, and this for F1 is the guarantee of the stability for the future.

“Now you can always discuss about technical regulations, governance, prize fund distribution, but it will be marginal. It won’t impact the sport, it won’t impact the business, it won’t impact Formula 1.

“Five years ago I think it was a completely different situation. I’m not sure without the financial regulations we would have been able to attract Audi, for example. A couple of new investors joined F1, mainly due to the Concorde Agreement and the financial regulations. It means now I think we are on the right path. We just have to work together, and to work together in serenity.”

Hamilton slams FIA investigation of Wolffs as ‘unacceptable’

Lewis Hamilton arrived for the annual FIA prize-giving in Baku anticipating questions about his up-and-down 2023 that netted third place in the world championship but extended his winless drought to two full Formula 1 seasons. Instead, he found the media focus on an FIA investigation into allegations of conflict of interest involving his Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, and his wife, Susie Wolff — director of the F1 Academy for female racers — that was then abruptly abandoned. Along with expressing frustration with the governing body’s handling of the matter, which has Toto Wolff considering legal action, Hamilton suggested it is a symptom of a deeper issue.

“I think, a disappointing week, really, to see the governing body of our sport question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we’ve ever had in our sport with Susie Wolff, without questioning, without any evidence,” Hamilton said. “Then just saying ‘sorry’ at the end, that’s just unacceptable.

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“We’ve got lot of great people in the sport that are doing amazing work. There is a constant fight to really improve diversity and inclusion within the industry, but it seems there are certain individuals within the leadership of the FIA that every time we make a step forward, they’re trying to pull us back and that has to change,” the seven-time world champion added.

“This is a global sport and we have such an incredible opportunity and a natural responsibility to be leader of change — traveling to all countries around the world we have a responsibility to make sure we are pushing the right direction. I do want to acknowledge there are a lot of people doing great work but we need to make some change to make sure we are pushing in the right direction.”

FIA ends investigation into Wolffs as blowback ensues

The FIA has made a rapid about-turn after announcing that it was investigating a conflict of interest complaint involving F1 Academy head Susie Wolff, and has dropped the matter after just two days. The governing body announced on Tuesday that it …

The FIA has made a rapid about-turn after announcing that it was investigating a conflict of interest complaint involving F1 Academy head Susie Wolff, and has dropped the matter after just two days.

The governing body announced on Tuesday that it was looking into allegations that confidential information relating to Formula One Media – which owns the commercial rights to both F1 and F1 Academy – had been passed between Wolff and Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff, who is Susie’s husband. Wolff also had access to information about conversations between team principals, which in turn could be of value to FOM. That investigation ended abruptly on Thursday.

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When initially announcing its investigation, the FIA said that its compliance department had taken on the matter based on “media speculation,” which appeared to be a report in one UK-based publication. The Wolffs were not named in the FIA’s initial statement, but were quickly linked to the matter in subsequent media reporting, which the Wolffs suggested was the product of off-the-record briefing.

Formula 1 and Susie Wolff immediately responded with statements rejecting the claims, as did Mercedes, which also took aim at the FIA’s handling of the issue. One day later, all 10 Formula 1 teams coordinated to issue identical statements denying that they had made a conflict of interest complaint to the FIA — directly undermining the FIA’s justification for its investigation, which it said was rooted in reports of rival teams being concerned about the Wolffs’ relationship in light of their jobs — and throwing their support behind the couple:

“We can confirm that we have not made any complaint to the FIA regarding the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed between an F1 Team Principal and a member of FOM staff,” the statement read. “We are pleased and proud to support F1 Academy and its managing director through our commitment to sponsor an entrant in our liveries from next season.”

The FIA remained light on specifics when it backed down on Thursday, saying only that it had revisited FOM’s code of conduct and conflict of interest policies, and had satisfied itself that “FOM’s compliance management system is robust enough to prevent any unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.” It concluded by confirming that there is “no ongoing investigation.”

While the FIA considers the matter over, Mercedes has confirmed that it is in “active legal exchange” with the FIA.

“We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights,” said Toto Wolff. “Therefore we ask for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course.”

In a separate statement, Susie Wolff expressed her own anger about the handling of the matter and said she had been subjected to significant online abuse as a result of it — ironically on the same day the FIA released a report on its website proclaiming “alarming” results from a survey in which 90% of its member federations agree that sporting figures are at risk of withdrawing due to online abuse, with the governing body urging collaborative action to combat such abuse.

“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?'” she said. “For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.

“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.

“I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media,”

Meanwhile, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem –whose relationship with FOM and Liberty Media had been tumultuous even before this latest incident — is receiving treatment in hospital after sustaining a concussion in a fall.

“Several days ago the president took ill and suffered a fall and concussion,” read a statement issued by an FIA spokesperson. “He received care in hospital and will make a full recovery.”

The exact timing of Ben Sulayem’s accident remains vague; however, he tweeted a video from the opening day of the 2023 FIA General Assemblies in Baku on Tuesday. That video has since been deleted.