Toto Wolff doesn’t have any issues with Red Bull’s F1 domination as he feels it is on others to step up but concedes won’t be quick from Mercedes.
Post the Saudi Arabia race, Lewis Hamilton claimed that he has not seen a car as fast as the 2023 Red Bull in terms of how Max Verstappen zoomed past him and he couldn’t even put up a fight. The Brit is no stranger to sport domination especially being in the glory years between 2014 and 2020 for Mercedes, who had a monopoly of success.
But the 2021 season saw some brakes put on them and Red Bull since then have not only won two drivers’ title but also a constructors’. Even in 2023, they look to secure both the titles having taken back to back one-two’s in the opening two rounds. There is already calls being made about the situation wHere things could become monotonous.
The saying in Mercedes time from Wolff and co has always been that others can do a better job and the Austrian is sticking to that mantra. He knows Red Bull’s domination may not be something one wants as fans would love to see a close fight, but he agrees that it is on other teams like his, Ferrari and or Aston Martin to take the fight to them.
Wolff reckons F1 is still special even if one team dominates. With the budget cap in place, it isn’t easy all the more for others to develop straight up and he understands Red Bull could dominate for some years. He knows that they are about six months behind considering they didn’t know what has gone wrong in the first place with the W13.
Domination is job well done and onus on teams to catch up –
Wolff: “I think we have had those years where we were as strong but this sport, even if its not great for the show that the same guys win all the time, it is because they have done a good job and we have not. So we all hope for the entertainment factor and it is our duty with all we have to catch up and fight these guys.”
Popularity drop off due to monopoly of success –
Wolff: “I remember hearing voices like that in 2014, 2015, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and what makes the sport so special is that you need to work hard to win and you deserve it as a matter of fact and of course we will try to do everything in our powers to fight back. And when we look at areas of weaknesses that they may have but entertainment follows sport and that may not be good from the commercial side but it is what makes Formula One so special.”
Budget Cap a hindrance –
Wolff: “There is a risk that this is the case. But this is a cost cap world championship, a technical world championship, a sporting world championship. We will look at all angles in order to optimise our relative performance to Red Bull in order to give them a good run for their money and to not lock this in for the next two or three years.”
Lag and behind schedule –
Wolff: “I think the length of time is probably between six and 12 months, because that’s the time that it really took for us last year to figure out what was actually happening with the car. That means we just need to have double the development speed, so a stronger development slope. The logic and rational speaks that for Red Bull, their gains are going to be incrementally smaller if the concept is mature. I think aero wise, and with wind tunnel time, that can help a bit but not hugely. It’s just, we’ve just got to get our act together and, if we fundamentally understand where we need to put the car, then the steps are going to be large. But we need to be perfect.”
Not realistic to catch soon –
Wolff: “We’re just two races in this year, but is it realistic when we look at the gaps? No, it’s not. But, we just want to give it all we have and then see what the outcome of that is. We’ve been able to catch up a lot last year with a car that was bouncing way too much, and that in a way was overshadowing everything. Finally we won a race and got closer to them, and I think that needs to be the aspiration.”
Here’s Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton’s issues
Here’s Lewis Hamilton, George Russell on Red Bull pace
Here’s Lewis Hamilton on his words