Mercedes chief Toto Wolff pleads for greater competition in F1

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Mercedes chief Wolff pleads for greater competition in F1

The Mercedes boss has picked one F1 race in particular to back up his point

Tyler Rowlinson

Monday 4 December 2023 11:57

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes Formula 1 needs more close races like this season’s Qatar Grand Prix to maximise competitiveness in the sport.

The race at the Losail Circuit back in October caused a lot of controversy for the organization due to issues with tyre usage and track limit violations, which saw the FIA and Pirelli enforce a maximum of 18 laps per tyre set during the race.

There were also huge concerns for the health conditions of the drivers at the end of the race, with several experiencing dizziness and almost passing out.

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Esteban Ocon vomited in his helmet during the race and Logan Sargeant was forced to retire his Williams after feeling ill due to the intense heat.

But despite these concerns and controversies, the Mercedes boss believes that there are some positives that should serve as an example for future events.

Toto Wolff believes there should be more races like this season's Qatar Grand Prix

Max Verstappen claimed victory in a hectic race in Qatar

Wolff: We need more races like Qatar

"I wouldn't see it negatively here in November in Abu Dhabi," Wolff said, via Motorsport.com. "We have got to wait and see what happens in Bahrain next year, and how the season is going to pan out.

"Let's wait to see how it goes, and I think let's see how the Pirelli tyres are going to handle next year's cars. But, at the end when you're looking, overtaking has gotten worse.

"It's all about thermal management. So, I'd like to have races like Qatar where you just go flat out."

The race itself was certainly action-packed, with Carlos Sainz failing to start the race after his Ferrari suffered a leak and Lewis Hamilton collided with team-mate George Russell on the opening lap, forcing him out of the race.

World champion Max Verstappen went on to win the races with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris locking out the podium.