Mercedes "swings between mania and depression" - Wolff
Mercedes "swings between mania and depression" - Wolff
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed how being "only as good as your last race" leads to "swings between mania and depression" inside his organisation.
Mercedes has won the last seven constructors' championships in dominant fashion since the introduction of the current turbo-hybrid era but is facing a sterner test this season from Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
In an Oxford University 'Leadership in Extraordinary Times' discussion earlier this month, Wolff was asked about self-criticism and compartmentalising issues in order to progress from race to race.
"There is this short-term interest which is the race car and its power unit and how can we optimise it and how can we learn from our mistakes," said Wolff.
"I often hear organisations go public and say it is really difficult for us because we need to quarterly report and we need to satisfy our stakeholders, the analysts or shareholders.
"Well, in our industry, you report 20 times a year because you are only as good as your last race and everybody swings between mania and depression.
"If we lose, it is the end of the Mercedes era and if we win, it is the dominant force going forward in the next five years so it is very important to balance between the long- and short-term interest of the team."
Wolff needing to find balance
As a leading figure in F1, Wolff is part of a select group of people that has the power to shape the sport for the future.
Whilst his main focus is success in the short term, the Austrian explained he has to strike a balance between his visions for both the team and F1.
"You would say an F1 team is focused on a short-term future but it is not quite as simple because we are part of a group of stakeholders that define future regulations that define the long-term strategy," he added.
"How do we see the sport in 10 years from now? What are the communication channels and the way of deploying the content? What kind of technology do we want to have in our cars in terms of sustainable fuels or hybrid engines, electric propulsion?
"I need to balance my time between being a part of the decision-making process going forward because the platform needs to fly.
"Only if we are having fans and audiences interested in the sport then myself and Mercedes can keep doing what we are doing."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Horner outlines Ricciardo target to save F1 dream as major Newey announcement made - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Mercedes reveal shock RED livery to celebrate historic milestone
- Yesterday 22:57
Ricciardo makes five-race admission in bid to survive F1 axe
- Yesterday 21:57
Red Bull is 'burning' after Horner and Marko display
- Yesterday 20:57
Red Bull announce strong statement over Newey departure claims
- Yesterday 19:57
Verstappen 'to meet Mercedes over SHOCK 2025 move as Red Bull exit clause revealed'
- Yesterday 18:57
Related news
Mercedes reveal shock RED livery to celebrate historic milestone
Verstappen 'to meet Mercedes over SHOCK 2025 move as Red Bull exit clause revealed'
BLOW for former F1 champion as Mercedes preferences revealed
Mercedes star tipped to replace struggling driver THIS season
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
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860