© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
After losing out to Red Bull at the Styrian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes’ car needs an upgrade. Toto Wolff explains why that’s not in the cards.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has said on numerous occasions that Mercedes decided to switch their focus from their current car, to their 2022 challenger.
Although Lewis Hamilton warned that the 2021 title could be lost if the development of the current car is abandoned, Toto Wolff explains Mercedes’ decision.
“We are having new regulations not only for next year but for years to come, a completely different car concept, and you’ve got to choose the right balance,” the Austrian said.
“Pretty much everybody is going to be on next year’s car. Some may still bring stuff. Red Bull has brought trucks on Thursday and Friday with new parts.
“And fair enough, it’s a strategy, and one that proves to be successful as it stands, because today, they were simply in a league of their own from car-pace wise.”
Wolff goes on to explain how Mercedes plans to fight for the title, despite not adding any major updates to their car.
“The championship is not only played with adding aerodynamic parts, because at this certain stage, even the ones like Red Bull who still keep adding parts, need to switch all of the development into next year.
“That means all the exploitation of the car around the set-up, the set-up work, the tyres, and the optimisation of how we are running, will become a very, very important part.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“It would make no sense to put a week or two [or] a month back on the current car, because the gains wouldn’t be anywhere near of the gains we are making on the 2022 car.
“But having said that, this is far from over. We had a very difficult weekend here in Austria, with no weapons in our armoury to win this race fair and straight.
“But we will be winning races this season, and we will be having pole positions, and we will be fighting as much as we can for every single result.”
The Austrian was then asked if Lewis had agreed with the plan, given his post-race comments.
“The driver will always fight with everything he has. We’ve had the chat before, and as a matter of fact, it’s a very rational decision.
“The upgrades you bring wouldn’t close the deficit, aerodynamic deficit, of the magnitude that these new aero regulations cost us. Fact.
“As I said before, they will stop aero development at a certain stage because it would be dangerous for next year’s championship, to lose out in next year’s championship.
“So the fight is still full on. That wasn’t our best circuit in the past, and wasn’t today.
“[It] doesn’t mean that we have no weapons in our armoury left,” concluded Mercedes’ team boss.
