© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton lost the 2021 title “on paper – and not on the track for sporting reasons”.
In an interview with Bild, Toto Wolff was asked if his “scars” have been healed from the controversial finish of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“There are so many terrible things happening in the world that it doesn’t even deserve the word scar anymore,” the Austrian said.
“We lost a title last year. On paper – and not on the track for sporting reasons. Now we have to close the chapter and just move on.
“If you quarrel with the supposed injustice for too long, that doesn’t make it any better. I finished this a while ago.”
Asked when exactly did he move on, Toto said: “End of January, all sails were already set for the future.”
Toto was then asked if he would have returned to Formula 1 had Michael Masi not been removed from the role of race director.
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“The question doesn’t arise because the FIA made a decision themselves that he made mistakes,” Wolff answered matter-of-factly.
He was then asked if there was ever fear within Mercedes that Lewis Hamilton would not return in 2022.
“No. We always stayed in touch over the winter. You have to give Lewis his space, but it was always clear that he wanted to continue doing what he enjoys the most. And that’s driving.”
And, finally, is the lost title an incentive for Mercedes to become world champion again?
“The incentive is always high. You want to perform every year and the best for the team. The points always go to zero.
“Now everything is just like every year,” concluded Wolff.
