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Mercedes released a Q&A session with Toto Wolff! The Mercedes team boss answers questions about the 2021 season, the new car and more.
Question: The new season is just a few weeks away. What’s the atmosphere like in the team?
Toto Wolff: The winter is always a very busy and interesting time, particularly this year. We finished the season later in December and now the launch has already arrived and we’re back to racing very soon, so there wasn’t much time to take a breath. The way we’re working, whether that’s from home or with safety protocols in the factories, is also different to previous winters. We’ve had to adapt and have been continuously learning through the COVID-19 pandemic, how to operate in the best way we can while also keeping our team as safe as possible. That’s not been easy, but I’m pleased with everyone’s hard work and commitment. And now, the entire team is focused on the season ahead. We are preparing for it the best we can and we’re excited to go back to what we love: racing.
Question: What are the team’s expectations for the new season?
Toto Wolff: Setting expectations is always dangerous and I find it difficult because as soon as the car crosses the line at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, I start worrying about the next year. There are several changes to the cars this season which might look small, but they are quite impactful from a performance point of view. So, we can’t take any comfort from our good results in 2020. Every winter, there are always indications that someone else might have done a better job, so we must keep pushing. That scepticism and hunger drive us and get us fired up for every new season – because the scoreboard goes to zero and there’s always more performance to be found. And that’s exciting. I enjoy this time of year as we drive into the unknown.
Question: The team made history in 2020 with its seventh consecutive Championship double. How did that feel and how do you reflect on the season, now?
Toto Wolff: Last year was a very unusual season, which pushed us in ways that we’ve never experienced before. We had to adapt our way of working and try to get the best out of what was a very difficult situation. I’m very proud of how we reacted to the 2020 season and the results we were able to achieve, not just on track but off it as well. We had a very strong car with some innovative solutions like DAS and our entire team performed on the highest level in a year that threw some great challenges at us. At the same time, we took some important steps to shape and improve our organisation and our sport. We have implemented robust steps to become more sustainable and both our factories now have a net-zero carbon footprint. We’ve set ourselves ambitious targets for greater diversity and inclusion in our team and the wider sport and have taken the first steps on that journey as well. Every now and again, the seventh title double will come into our minds and bring a sense of satisfaction. But the minute you start to enjoy the moment, the scepticism for the next challenge begins to kick in.
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Question: What are the objectives for this year?
Toto Wolff: Every year we reset our focus and define the right objectives. That may sound simple but it’s damn hard and is probably why there are no sports teams out there with seven consecutive world titles. So many things can happen, teams can break apart, people leave, a sense of complacency appears, the pressure and constant stretch can burn people out. And it’s very natural to get used to success and therefore not fight as hard for it. But this team has not shown any of that. I see the same fire, hunger and passion now as I did the first time I walked through the doors in 2013. Every season presents a new challenge and therefore, a new goal for us to achieve. 2021 brings changes to the regulations, which could impact our competitiveness, plus the cost cap and working on the major rule changes of 2022. These challenges excite us, they are just what the doctor ordered!
Question: Speaking of the cost cap – how big of a task has this been for the team to adapt to?
Toto Wolff: The cost cap has changed the entire landscape of Formula One, because it has levelled the financial playing field. We had to change the structure of our team, the way we work with each other, streamline our processes and become more efficient. And we fundamentally believe that the more efficient we are, the more performance gain that will translate to out on the circuit. So, it’s had a huge impact, but it has also provided us with the opportunity to re-evaluate our organisation. That’s why we set up Applied Science, our high-tech engineering arm of the business. Applied Science is growing at a tremendous rate, bringing F1 know-how to many different customers, and it’s going to really play a big part in our evolving business.
Question: In addition to the cost cap and the technical rule changes this year, there’s a massive regulation change coming next year which will see the introduction of completely new F1 cars. How does the team prepare for that?
Toto Wolff: It’s a very difficult, very exciting challenge – on the one hand, we want to have a strong season this year and need to invest the appropriate resources to be able to achieve that. On the other hand, the changes for 2022 are so monumental, that we must develop the entire car from scratch. This means that every additional day of development time will add performance to the car. From a team’s perspective, that makes it very tricky to find the right point to transition team members from the 2021 project to the 2022 car. Some teams might even be willing to sacrifice this year’s performance so they can get a head start on next year’s car. It’s an incredibly tough challenge, but one we are looking forward to tackling.
Question: What are the objectives for this year?
Question: Last year, the team started a programme to increase diversity and inclusion. How much of a focus will that continue to be in 2021 and beyond?
Toto Wolff: We changed our livery last year because we wanted to publicly make a pledge for greater diversity and inclusion. The black livery was a sign of our commitment and it was the start of a long process – a process which needs our continuous support. We have taken some promising steps over the past few months with programmes and initiatives that are aimed at various aspects of diversity and inclusion. We have rolled out training for our recruiters to sensitise them on unconscious bias and all our managers have completed our inclusive excellence programme. At the same time, we’ve set ourselves the goal of at least 25 percent of all new starters coming from under-represented groups for the next five years. The latest step is a joint foundation that we will create together with Lewis to improve all aspects of diversity in motorsport. All of these measures are encouraging, but we know that real change takes time and we’re at the start of a very long journey. So, this topic will very much remain in our focus for years to come as we build on the foundations we’ve laid over the past few months.
Question: Another change for the team this year is an even closer relationship between the team and Mercedes-AMG. What impact does this have?
Toto Wolff: Working more closely with AMG is a step that we are really looking forward to. Our two organisations are very similar – both in our objectives and the way the two companies are run. It’s all about performance. Everyone is always pushing, always wanting to improve, which is why the atmosphere in the factories feels very similar in Brackley, Brixworth and Affalterbach. We have some exciting projects in the pipeline for 2021 and beyond. Our closer relationship will not only enable us to take more learnings from AMG that we can apply to our F1 operations, but we’ll also be able to bring more of our F1 know-how to their performance hybrid and electric cars as well. AMG have set themselves some very ambitious objectives and we’ll do our best to support them.
Question: At the end of 2020, the team announced a new shareholding structure. What does that mean for the team and its future?
Toto Wolff: The new shareholding structure is very exciting for a number of reasons. The fact that we were able to attract INEOS as an investor shows that we have a strong business case and that F1 continues to be a highly attractive platform for big brands and companies. We’re also seeing a slight shift in the way that F1 teams operate as the cost cap and the new structure move us towards a business model that is more familiar in American sports franchises. At the same time, having three strong shareholders in the team gives us even more stability for the future. On a personal level, I’m very happy to commit to the team for the long term and increase my share slightly. I’ve always said that this team is like a family to me, and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. I’m thankful for the trust that Mercedes and INEOS have placed in me and I’m looking forward to seeing what else we’ll achieve together in the future too.
Question: What are the objectives for this year?
Question: McLaren return to Mercedes power this year. What does that mean for the team and the sport, to have four teams on the grid with Mercedes Power Units?
Toto Wolff: We are happy with the roster of engine customers that we have at the moment, which is a great mix of brands – the history and heritage of McLaren and Williams, and Aston Martin, starting to write an exciting new chapter in its history. We expect McLaren to be an interesting competitor, like Aston Martin, and hopefully Williams will eventually get there too with their new owners. And of course, for HPP, having four teams running their Power Units is good as it means more opportunities to learn and understand the engines for the future. The high demand for our engines is also a great testament to the hard work from HPP who keep pushing very hard to find performance and improve efficiency and reliability.
Question: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important, what steps are we taking to make our team more sustainable?
Toto Wolff: We have made good progress on our sustainability targets, in 2020 achieving a net-zero carbon footprint and being awarded FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation. We’re continuing to push forward with our sustainability projects in 2021, with the aim of cutting our CO2 footprint by 50 percent by 2022 compared to 2018. A lot of work is also going into sustainable fuels for the future, particularly in Brixworth. Working alongside our title partner PETRONAS, the first step in the direction of sustainable fuel is the introduction of the E10 fuel for 2022, but all the Power Unit manufacturers and fuel manufacturers are also looking further down the line to a 100 percent sustainable fuel. It’s a really intriguing challenge that we’re facing.
Question: A few weeks ago, the team announced a new contract with Lewis. How important is it to continue with both Lewis and Valtteri in the car?
Toto Wolff: It’s hugely important and I think the consistency we’ve had within this team over the years has been a real strength and advantage. As we’ve seen in past seasons, it’s a line-up that works well for us, with two incredibly strong drivers who also have a very professional working relationship together. Both are hungry and fired up to get back racing again soon and we’re all looking forward to seeing them drive our new car in anger for the first time in a few weeks.
Source: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
