Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff Addresses Sao Paulo Grand Prix Setbacks
Tire Wear Woes and Unpredictable Season: Mercedes' Journey to Redemption
In a recent revelation, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff shed light on the challenges that plagued the Mercedes team during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend in Brazil. The team faced a formidable hurdle as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell grappled with heavy tire wear during the race, allowing rival cars to overtake their W14s effortlessly. Despite this setback, Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, managed to secure the eighth position, a commendable feat considering he started the race from fifth place.
The spectacle left much to be desired, as Wolff labeled the weekend in Brazil as the team’s worst performance in 13 years. Understandably, he appeared visibly frustrated by the circumstances, prompting him to express his discontent with the situation. Here are his post-Sao Paulo GP remarks:
“Inexcusable performance. There’s even no words for that.
“That car finished second last week and the week before, and whatever we did to it was horrible.
“Lewis survived out there, but George, I can only feel for the two driving such a miserable thing.
“It’s on a knife’s edge.”
The Mercedes team’s journey throughout this season has been marked by a rollercoaster of highs and lows, rendering their race outcomes unpredictable. Toto Wolff’s assertion that the team has identified the underlying issues raises hopes for their performance in the upcoming race in Las Vegas. However, the ultimate test lies in whether the W14s can reclaim their former glory on the track.
As a result, he initiated a thorough investigation to uncover the underlying issue responsible for the drop in pace. Remarkably, within just one week, the team successfully pinpointed the source of the problem. During a media briefing, Wolff elaborated, saying:
“Brazil was probably our most difficult weekend of the season.
“After promising performances in the US and Mexico, we didn’t perform at our best in Brazil.
“We have been hard at work to identify the wrong turn we took with the set-up; we have done that.
“We understand our mistakes and can explain our performance loss to the field. That’s important as we look to secure P2 in the Constructors’ Championship.”
