F1 News: Wolff reveals 'changed mindset' about Mercedes recovery chances

Toto Wolff, Saudi Arabian GP, 2024, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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Wolff reveals 'changed mindset' about Mercedes recovery chances

Mercedes have struggled to perform in the ground effect era

Tyler Rowlinson

Thursday 14 March 2024 17:57

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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is remaining optimistic despite a difficult start to the 2024 season.

It has been a couple years of struggle for the Silver Arrows in the ground effect era, with just one win in the previous two campaigns – coming from George Russell in Brazil in 2022.

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2024 has presented the same issues to the team, with Jeddah proving the W15 has a problem in the high-speed corners as they struggled to keep up with McLaren.

But while the team does not have the answers right now, Wolff has stated he has had a change of mindset to remain calm and believes the team are in a better place than before.

Mercedes have struggled in the ground effect era

George Russell claimed the team's only win in two seasons

Wolff: I've changed my mindset

Speaking with Autosport, he said: “I've changed my mindset. I don't think that additional pressure on all of us makes it better.

“I think we have a problem with the physics. It is not by lack of trying or by the mindset or the motivation or energies. All of that is there, and I can see the buzz in the organisation.

“As racers, when we have such [disappointing] results, you're feeling down, but we're trying to change that with the right motivation for the week that comes. That's why we are believing that we can turn this around. We believe that our organisation can dig ourselves out. I'm 100% sure we can.”

Toto Wolff is remaining optimistic about the team's chances of recovery

The Austrian added that while performances are similar to previous seasons, the team’s understanding of the car has moved on drastically.

“We had so many unknowns in the last year,” he said. “Where we started, we said, ‘okay this could be a reason’ and ‘this could be a reason’ and ‘this could be a reason.’ And we fixed that.

“I can see from the sensors that we have what we needed. But there is still this behaviour of the car in a certain speed range, where our sensors and simulation say this is where we should have the downforce, and we are not having it.

“This team has not been overconfident. We are probably the other way around. We see that glass half empty always. And that attitude stays, but this is also the attitude to fix it.”

Mercedes McLaren George Russell Toto Wolff