Mercedes chief Wolff pleads for greater competition in F1
Mercedes chief Wolff pleads for greater competition in F1
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.
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.
READ MORE: Vasseur rues key Ferrari F1 failing and demands improvement
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.
READ MORE: Horner reveals key to Red Bull dominance in F1 rivals dig
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F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
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