Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff believes Max Verstappen needs to lose his "raw edges" if he is to become a world champion, feeling his in📖cident with E𝐆steban Ocon in Brazil was part of his learning process as a driver.

Red Bull driver Verstappen lost a potential victory last weekend in Brazil after contact with ♌the lapped Esteban Ocon, resulting in an angry spat between the pair after the chequered 🐠flag.

Five-time world cham꧂pion Lewis Hamilton said he felt Verstappen could have hand♔led the incident better on-track, with video footage from Ocon's car showing the Force India driver to be going considerably faster, reasoning his decision to try and unlap himself.

Speaking about the incident, Wolff said that while Verstappen had the right ღtraits to become a world champion, he would need to work on perfecting certai✱n areas to maximise his potential.

"You can see there is a future champion coming together, unbelievable talent and speed," W⭕olff said.

"I think💟 once the raw edges are off, he will be somebody who will be a world champion one day.

"In a few years, he will look at the footage of [Brazil] and maybe have his own opinion as to whether that🐭 was the right behaviour or not.

"But ༒ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚyou can’t accelerate those things. This is a learning process."

Red Bull F1 advisor Helmut Marko suggested after the race that Ocon may have deliberately made contact with Verstappen a✤s he is a Mercedes junior driver, helpi🍨ng Hamilton take the win for Mercedes.

Wolff refused to be drawn on the matter, though, saying: "This is how Dr. Marko sees the world, and I want to leave it with that. I don’t want to go on this level. We ha🐷ve a fifth world championship to cele♏brate."