© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
At the Bahrain Grand Prix Thursday press conference, McLaren team boss Zak Brown asked Toto Wolff if Mercedes is “masking” performance.
Ahead of the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, rumours reportedly started spreading in the paddock that Mercedes was ‘hiding’ their true performance in pre-season testing.
This only intensified after Mercedes topped the Bahrain Grand Prix Free Practice 2.
However, even before FP2, at the Bahrain Grand Prix Thursday press conference, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was asked about the paddock’s opinion of his team’s performance.
“Yeah, I would wish we’re masking our performance, but why would we?” the Austrian said.
“I think it’s important to understand where you are in the competitive order, where you’re lacking performance and where the car is good and that’s why we’ve approached it as every other pre-season test.
“So we will see where, as Zak said, the chips fall down.”
McLaren team boss Zak Brown, who was also attending the conference, then teasingly asked: “So, you’re masking?”
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“No, no, no masking,” Toto replied.
“What happens later today, I think it’s going to be a much better performance picture because it’s the representative conditions. And tomorrow is when the bullshit stops.”
When asked about the atmosphere within Mercedes, Toto said:
“What is very nice to experience is being part of a group that is very positive in terms of the approach.
“It reminds me of the 2013 and ‘14 years, when I was lucky enough to join the team. What a buzz the whole organisation had.
“And after those two difficult years, this is very much what I feel at the moment. The spirits are high.
“We have a good ambience in the team, very collaborative. trusting, empowering, and just a lovely place to work at the moment,” the Austrian concluded.
