© Sebastian Kawka for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix ltd.
Toto Wolff says Mercedes’ current performance troubles are “an exercise in humility”, but they will make the team “stronger in the end”.
Mercedes has been struggling with their performance since 2022 pre-season testing, and the team has continued to struggle into the first two races of the season.
Team boss Toto Wolff says it’s great to see the fierce fight at the top of the field between Ferrari and Red Bull, but it’s also hard to not be a part of it after eight consecutive Constructors’ Championship wins.
“We had the luxury of being right in the middle of those fun games for the last eight years,” the Austrian said.
“Luxury is the wrong word… we were right in the middle of those fun games in the front and, talking as a Formula 1 stakeholder, benefitting from a great show that is really spectacular to look at.
“We were right in the middle of those fun games in the front, and talking as an F1 stakeholder and benefiting from a great show, that is really spectacular to look at,” Wolff said.
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“But on the other side, it is extremely painful to be not part of those fun games, and by quite a chunk of laptime deficit. We’re not going to rest until we are back in the mix.
“But you’re absolutely right: it’s no fun at all. [It’s] an exercise in humility, and it’s going to make us stronger in the end, even though it’s not funny right now.”
After the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, George Russell said if Mercedes was able to solve their porpoising problem, that would “cure” 99% of the team’s issues, however, Wolff doesn’t want to give his estimate.
“We’re not running the car where we wanted to run it. Therefore it’s very difficult to really assess what the lap time deficit is if we were able to run the car lower.
“I would very much hope that the gap is much closer to what we’ve seen today. But there are deficits everywhere,” Mercedes’ team boss concluded.
