The Mercedes garage in Saudi Arabia — Photo: © LAT Images

Toto Wolff

1 reactie

Wolff admits 'CATASTROPHIC' mistakes as Mercedes miss golden chance

The team boss was not happy with the overall result after some key decisions went wrong

Joe Ellis

Monday 28 August 2023 21:57

Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes made critical errors that cost them a better result at the Dutch GP.

Lewis Hamilton fought back from 13th on the grid to claim sixth while George Russell ended up out of the points after late contact with Lando Norris.

But in a race with changeable conditions, Wolff was left frustrated that the Silver Arrows made the wrong decisions with strategy.

Article continues under video

The race pace was impressive for both Russell and Hamilton, but they failed to score the points they perhaps warranted.

Wolff: We got it completely wrong

Lewis Hamilton finished a dry-to-wet-to-dry-to-wet race in sixth

“I think we stayed out catastrophically too long," Wolff said to Sky Sports. "We got it completely wrong. It’s annoying because the car had really [good] pace. From there on, it was just recovering as good as we could.

“I’d rather have a good pace, fast racecar and a mediocre result, even if it hurts. We saw at the end, on the inter, George had Max’s pace and Lewis was very strong behind Sainz.

"He could’ve been much further ahead. It’s still bittersweet because the result is just really bad. It could have been but that doesn’t count in that sport.

“We will review thoroughly. The situation is never one person or one department’s [fault], it is the communications between driver, pit wall, strategy, the weatherfrog. All of us taking decisions, and that was absolutely sub-par from all of us and that includes me."

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

'Where the hell?' - Lewis Hamilton stunned by Mercedes pace at Australian Grand Prix

2 hours ago

Max Verstappen's shocked reaction revealed after F1 disqualification

2 hours ago

F1 star Valtteri Bottas is a proper Aussie now: New home, meat pies and doing a 'U-ey'

2 hours ago

F1 Race Today: Australian Grand Prix 2026 start times, schedule, TV channel and FREE live stream

3 hours ago

F1’s new cars in 2026 are how much slower? Australian Grand Prix confirms the brutal truth

Today 18:56

Kim Kardashian at the Australian Grand Prix? Sky F1 star told to stop fishing about Lewis Hamilton 'romance'