F1 News: Toto Wolff SLAMS 'underwhelming' Mercedes after Hamilton embarrassment

Australian Grand Prix

Wolff SLAMS 'underwhelming' Mercedes after Hamilton embarrassment

The Austrian is frustrated with his team's car

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 23 March 2024 19:57

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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said that his team's performances are 'not good enough' following a poor qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton failed to reach Q3 and was beaten by team-mate George Russell once again in a qualifying session, but even the latter could only manage seventh.

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The poor performance came after the Brackley-based outfit had looked strong in FP3, with both cars in the top five.

For Hamilton, it represents a continuation of his poor start to the 2024 season, while the team in general appear to have gone backwards from being the second-quickest car in 2023.

Toto Wolff has overseen a poor start to 2024

Lewis Hamilton performed miserably in qualifying

Wolff angered by 'difficult' W15

Mercedes have only managed one race victory since the 2021 season, and had hoped that their new W15 car would push them closer into contention for wins following a difficult first two seasons of the ground effect era.

However, the team look further off the pace than they were in 2022 and 2023, and that coupled with the clear improvement of Ferrari and McLaren has left them fourth in the constructors' championship, while Hamilton is only ninth in the drivers' standings.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying for the Australian GP, Wolff was visibly frustrated by the team's lack of progress.

“Yeah especially underwhelming as we were under a tenth in FP3, the conditions were a little bit different but there is no excuse," he said.

“I think we have a car that’s difficult and you can be narrowly in and out of the window and as annoyed as I am for saying this for a long time, we just continue, we just need to continue working on it and trying to get better.

“It’s not because of a lack of trying that we are where we are but it’s not good enough.”

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes George Russell Toto Wolff Australian Grand Prix