BREAKING NEWS: ‘We Have a Car That Can Perform’: Toto on 2024 So… Full Story 👇Â
‘We Have a Car That Can Perform’: Toto on 2024 So… Full Story 👇Â
Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, reflected on the 2024 F1 season as the team heads into the summer break. He acknowledged that the beginning of the season was challenging, with the team focusing on resolving the underlying issues that had plagued the W14 car. While they managed to address many of these problems, they also encountered new ones, making the situation more complex.
Wolff explained that by resolving some issues, the team was able to better understand what had been causing the difficulties. With fewer potential problems left to explore, the team worked tirelessly to get on top of the new challenges. As they progressed, they began to realize where they had been going wrong, leading to significant improvements.
One of the key turning points for the team came during the Chinese Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton’s strong performance in the Sprint race, finishing P2, highlighted the potential of the new W15 car. This result was encouraging and signaled that the team was on the right track.
As the European leg of the season began, Mercedes continued to see positive signs. The correlation between their work in the virtual world, wind tunnel, simulator, and on the track became increasingly clear. This alignment between different aspects of car development provided a sense of relief and motivation for the team. Wolff noted that they now had a better understanding of the performance they needed to bring to the track and credited the hard work of the factory staff for their swift progress.
The team’s pole position in Canada did not come as a surprise to Wolff, given the positive signs they had seen in previous sessions. Unlike in the past, when the team had been misled by green track conditions on Fridays, they were now consistently seeing strong performance across various sessions.
This improvement in form led to an upturn in fortunes for Mercedes, with the team securing three victories in the last four races. Wolff attributed this success to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved, both at Brackley, where the chassis is designed, and at Brixworth, where the power units are developed.
According to Wolff, the main difference between the start of the season and now is that Mercedes finally has a car capable of scoring solid points every weekend. With two top drivers—Lewis Hamilton and George Russell—the team is well-positioned to capitalize on the car’s potential. However, Wolff acknowledged that there is still work to be done to consistently fight for victories every weekend. The progress made so far is promising, and the team now has a car that can compete near the front of the field.
Looking ahead to the final 10 races of the season, Wolff cautioned that it is difficult to predict what will happen. The competition between the top four teams is incredibly close, which he sees as a positive development for the sport, making it more exciting for fans. Mercedes will be pushing hard to secure more victories and aiming to finish in the top three in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
Off the track, Wolff highlighted some of the successful events the team has held with their partners this season. He expressed his satisfaction with the activations they’ve been able to achieve, including a notable event with WhatsApp in New York and the opportunity to sail the AC37 America’s Cup boat in Barcelona. Wolff believes these efforts have established Mercedes as the best in class when it comes to partner activations.
In closing, Wolff thanked the fans for their continued support and expressed his anticipation for the rest of the season, looking forward to seeing the team’s supporters cheering them on.
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