Wolff not amused by the fierce questioning of Plooij: "You are lying!

Dutch TV reporter Jack Plooij has turned Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff against himself with a fierce questioning. The Ziggo pit reporter was told by Wolff that he is on the wrong track and is being closely monitored by the championship team's press office.

At the Formule 1 Café on Ziggo Sport Plooij tells about an interview with Wolff in Qatar which was not broadcast. The Dutchman claimed that Bottas was used as a guinea pig and that the team tried all engines on the Finn in order to provide Lewis Hamilton with the best engines and to minimise the risk of losing the title to Max Verstappen.

Plooij suggested his thoughts to Wolff and asked for clarification. "We didn't broadcast the interview", Plooij starts. "But I have had words with Toto Wolff. He became angry with me. I asked him straight out: 'You're collecting engines. Bottas gets a new engine every weekend, and you are collecting them!' Then he said, 'No, you're on the wrong track. You're lying."

Plooij provoked a fight that could cost him dearly. The reporter found out that Bradley Lord, Mercedes' head of communications, was keeping a close eye on him. Plooij: "Later on I went to see Bradley Lord as well. There they opened a drawer and there were all articles with what I had said. They know everything."