Toto Wolff reveals ‘FRUSTRATION' on Mercedes progress direction

Mercedes

Wolff reveals ‘FRUSTRATION' on Mercedes progress direction

Mercedes have identified specific performance areas which need serious improvement

Janice Kusters

Wednesday 9 August 2023 07:42 Updated: 10:06

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In candid remarks, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff openly expressed his sense of frustration surrounding the process to bring the W14 up to speed.

According to the Austrian, they have been steadily getting to know the car better during recent races and have identified specific performance areas that need serious improvement.

When asked about his positives on the Mercedes season, Wolff shared his concerns saying: “The positives are that we clearly see some development route that functions, we understand where we need to add performance."

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”It's a frustrating process because it takes time to change a car fundamentally and the concept in aerodynamics," before he offered fans reassurance, asserting, "there’s light at the end of the tunnel."

Groundwork for Mercedes title push in 2024

Wolff considers himself fortunate to have drivers who accepted the current situation without complaint. According to the Austrian, both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton demonstrated impressive professionalism by accepting the car's limitations and consistently working on ways to improve the chassis performance.

Wolff expresses gratitude for the understanding of his drivers

The Mercedes team principal sees a clear path of development ahead for the team. He shared that he prefers to improve their current package for 2023, rather than adding more updates.

At the moment, the primary goal for Mercedes is to secure P2 for the 2023 season. They seem to be well on their way to achieving this target, evident from their impressive lead of 53 points over Aston Martin. Nevertheless, the balance could be upset by a solitary unsatisfactory race, especially considering Ferrari's mere 5-point deficit to Aston Martin.

Additionally, Wolff stressed the need to shift their focus towards identifying what Mercedes requires to regain championship-winning form. Adopting a forward-looking approach, the team started laying the groundwork for a championship push in 2024.