Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff accepts the “reality” that their Method One automotive is just not ok to problem their essential rivals this season.
Not less than he is aware of the place the W14’s faults lie.
“We understand, crystal clear,” Wolff mentioned on Friday on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “There are no miracles in this sport . . . I don’t think we can beat the teams in front of us, that’s the reality.”
Wolff’s feedback got here a day after seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton mentioned Mercedes was up to now off the tempo that he would want three groups to fall out of a race only for him to have an opportunity to win.
Pink Bull dominated the season-opener in Bahrain two weeks in the past with a 1-2 end from two-time defending world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Fernando Alonso completed a shocking third for Aston Martin and Carlos Sainz Jr. was fourth for Ferrari.
Hamilton was 51 seconds behind Verstappen in fifth, and teammate George Russell was 56 seconds again in seventh. Each placings would have been worse had Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s engine not failed close to the tip of the race.
“We need to do a better job,” Wolff mentioned. “We have to set ourselves strong targets internally, because we know where the deficit is. But I wouldn’t want to talk publicly about it because it will just put (more) pressure (on).”
Hamilton was vital of Mercedes after Bahrain, telling a BBC podcast that Mercedes didn’t hearken to him in regards to the growth of this yr’s automotive.
Wolff understood his frustration.
“We know there are emotions at play. With him, with me, with many others in the team. We wear our hearts on our sleeve,” Wolff mentioned. “We know that emotions can run high. We have tough love . . . and nobody’s not ever going to not take it on the chin in the team.”
Wolff is aware of Mercedes made a mistake in automotive growth after Russell earned their solely race win final yr. Mercedes struggled with the bottom impact often known as “porpoising” and Russell was fourth within the 2022 standings. Hamilton was sixth.
The 2023 W14 automotive has very slim bodywork, identified in F1 as a “zero-sidepod” idea, however Mercedes primarily produced a flawed automotive.
“We were proven wrong, very simply,” Wolff mentioned about sticking with the identical idea after misreading data. “The stopwatch never lies and we see on the data where we are missing and that needs to be corrected.”
Though it’s not doable to alter the chassis due to price range caps, he thinks the aerodynamics will be improved.
“Overall we’re not happy about the amount of downforce, the mechanical balance,” Wolff mentioned. “We can shave off a lot of performance deficit because we know (the direction to go in).”
Hamilton mentioned he’s nonetheless decided to barter a brand new contract and stays agency in his perception he can win once more.
“I’m absolutely confident (he will stay),” Wolff mentioned. “I don’t think that Lewis will leave Mercedes. He’s at the stage of the career where we trust each other, we have formed a great bond. We have no reason to doubt each other, even though this is a difficult step.”
However Wolff accepts the 38-year-old Hamilton — who holds the F1 report with 103 wins — may finally look elsewhere if he doesn’t get a aggressive automotive that may win races inside the subsequent couple of seasons.
“As a driver, nevertheless, if he wants to win another championship he has to make sure that he has the car,” Wolff mentioned. “And if we cannot demonstrate that we’re able to give him a car in the next couple of years, then he needs to look everywhere. I would have no grouch if that happens.”
