© Sam Bloxham for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix ltd.
After getting a front row lockout for the Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says he is “so happy those messy ground effect cars are gone”.
Mercedes started the 2026 season in spectacular fashion, with an amazing front row lockout for the Australian Grand Prix.
After qualifying, team boss Toto Wolff said he is happy that previous ground effect cars are now history.
“I’m so happy those messy ground effect cars are gone and finally we do what we are best at,” the Austrian said.
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Asked whether Mercedes expected the seven tenths gap to the rest of the field, Toto said:
“Everybody will say ‘they were sandbagging’ or ‘there was more in the pocket’. But you can’t really sandbag or you never know where the car is.
“Did we sometimes have 10kg more in the car? Maybe yes, but we don’t have enough belief in understanding the cars yet to make it run artificially heavy.
“So we are surprised by the gap but I’m taking it,” he concluded.
