F1 news: Toto Wolff reveals Mercedes can make key gains in 2024

Teambaas van Mercedes op Monza — Photo: © LAT Images

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Wolff reveals key F1 area Mercedes can make gains

The Brackley squad are attempting to challenge Red Bull for the 2024 title

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 16 January 2024 20:12

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained how his team will start to interpret pit stop rules in a 'very different' way heading into 2024.

The Brackley-based outfit are coming off the back of a poor season in which they were not able to claim a single race victory, with inconsistent car performance and a dominant Red Bull team hampering their progress.

As well as hoping that their new W15 car - which Wolff has already stated will be dramatically different to the W14 from 2023 - the Austrian believes there is one other aspect of race days that Mercedes can improve upon.

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New pit stop rules came into play in 2021 and sought to slow stops down in order to improve safety, and to try and prevent teams from using active systems to control elements of pit stops.

Despite this, last season saw McLaren record a world record time of 1.8 seconds, as well as Red Bull putting in some mightily impressive times too.

McLaren set a world record for the fastest F1 pit stop at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has not managed to win a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Toto Wolff has managed to tie down both of his star drivers to new contracts, which don't expire until the end of 2025

Wolff believes that his team have potentially been too 'conservative' in their approach to pit stops, and is making a marked effort to change this ahead of next season.

"I think the regulations, how they were laid out a few years ago, we interpreted them in a very conservative way," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"And we've seen other teams doing it differently. So watch this space. I think it's going to be very different."

Wolff believes Mercedes comeback possible

Mercedes' challenge of attempting to get back into championship-winning contention seems like a bridge too far for next season, with Red Bull so far ahead of the competition in 2023.

However, Wolff is not giving up.

"Always believe it's possible," he continued.

"You cannot start the season with an attitude of 'This is not going to be possible.'

"We saw last year with McLaren what a huge step they made with a single upgrade. We've signed a two-year deal with Lewis, and we owe it to him, to George and to all the team to give it our full attention in 2024 and 2025. I think it's possible."

Red Bull Mercedes Toto Wolff W15