Photo: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
Following the 2023 British Grand Prix, Mercedes-AMG F1 team boss Toto Wolff stated that his outfit might soon have no other choice than to switch full focus and resources on to its 2024 car, seen as how the W14 continues to underperform.
Despite Lewis Hamilton finishing P3 at Silverstone this past weekend, the simple fact that Mercedes was outgunned not just by Red Bull (duh), but also by McLaren, did not sit well with team principal Toto Wolff, who’s not interested in fighting for second or third place, but rather for Driver and Constructors championships.
The W14 underwent a major overhaul ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix and for a moment there, the changes seemed to have the desired effect. However, more recent Grand Prix have shown that Mercedes remains just as powerless as everyone else in challenging Red Bull for wins.
At first, it looked as though Aston Martin might have something to say in that department and now, at Silverstone, it was McLaren that looked almost as quick as Red Bull. So, where does this leave Mercedes? It would appear that some big decisions need to be made, and sooner rather than later.
During an interview with Autosport, Wolff acknowledged that a decision about whether to keep developing the W14 or invest all resources into next season’s car, will happen “pretty soon,” as he also added that his team no longer has a choice in the matter. Something needs to be done.
“P2 or P3 fundamentally doesn’t impact me and the team. It’s about coming back and being able to win a world championship in that respect. That’s not going to happen this year. So, we need to set our eyes to next year and then, at all the races to come, learn and develop, and make sure that we can carry that forward into next year.”
“But, having said that, the regulations are the same. So, it’s not that you’re not learning nothing by continuing this car. It’s a balance that we have to strike right.”
As for whether or not he thinks his team can still beat Red Bull at least once this year, Wolff remains optimistic in his approach.
“We just have to give them [Hamilton and Russell] a car that is more predictable, and not the Diva 2.0, plus much more complicated than the first one.”
Of course, the so-called Diva (1.0) was the infamous W08 from 2017, although Hamilton went on to call several other cars of his “divas”, most recently the W12, which he called a “monster of a diva.” While that car may not have been perfect, it was still dominant and it still won the Constructors title in 2021, with Verstappen snatching the Driver’s title away from Lewis on the very last lap of the very last race of the year.
The W14 underwent a major overhaul ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix and for a moment there, the changes seemed to have the desired effect. However, more recent Grand Prix have shown that Mercedes remains just as powerless as everyone else in challenging Red Bull for wins.
At first, it looked as though Aston Martin might have something to say in that department and now, at Silverstone, it was McLaren that looked almost as quick as Red Bull. So, where does this leave Mercedes? It would appear that some big decisions need to be made, and sooner rather than later.
During an interview with Autosport, Wolff acknowledged that a decision about whether to keep developing the W14 or invest all resources into next season’s car, will happen “pretty soon,” as he also added that his team no longer has a choice in the matter. Something needs to be done.
“P2 or P3 fundamentally doesn’t impact me and the team. It’s about coming back and being able to win a world championship in that respect. That’s not going to happen this year. So, we need to set our eyes to next year and then, at all the races to come, learn and develop, and make sure that we can carry that forward into next year.”
“But, having said that, the regulations are the same. So, it’s not that you’re not learning nothing by continuing this car. It’s a balance that we have to strike right.”
As for whether or not he thinks his team can still beat Red Bull at least once this year, Wolff remains optimistic in his approach.
“We just have to give them [Hamilton and Russell] a car that is more predictable, and not the Diva 2.0, plus much more complicated than the first one.”
Of course, the so-called Diva (1.0) was the infamous W08 from 2017, although Hamilton went on to call several other cars of his “divas”, most recently the W12, which he called a “monster of a diva.” While that car may not have been perfect, it was still dominant and it still won the Constructors title in 2021, with Verstappen snatching the Driver’s title away from Lewis on the very last lap of the very last race of the year.
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