Mercedes needs to 'work on trust' after Hamilton again questions strategy - Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded the team need to work "on the communication to trust each other" after Lewis Hamilton again questioned the team's strategy calls.

Hamilton and the Mercedes pit wall combined over the radio in Russia to take a masterful victory as rain fell late on but in Turkey, Hamilton's questioning left him in somewhat of a strategic no man's land.

Hamilton had taken his balding intermediate tyres to within eight laps of the chequered flag after ignoring earlier calls to pit from his strategy team before eventually stopping.

But Hamilton was left without time to work through the graining phase of his new set of tyres and make progress, a fate that could have been avoided had he not gone against the calls to 'box' eight laps prior.

"I think we just really need to work on the communication to trust each other and in a way be able to describe what we are aiming for," explained Wolff.

“We have no problem at all with tough conversations on the radio before you have complete information and obviously, we wouldn’t speak like this to Lewis because he is driving the car at 320kmph.

“But that is all okay, so absolutely we are totally aligned. We have been together for eight years and we have thick skin enough to understand that a driver in the car is just frustrated about a situation but he will understand afterwards.”

Fifth place resulted In Hamilton leaving Turkey with a six-point deficit to Max Verstappen in the standings after the Dutchman finished second.

Asked how Mercedes could be more forceful with instructions to its drivers, Wolff added: “It’s very difficult because the communication needs to flow in both directions and that is crucial.

"The pilot is the vital sensor on track that will tell you about the grip levels.

“But the pilot doesn’t see himself relative to the other drivers and the other performances.

"So that information we need to work on because we’ve had what Lewis called a ‘genius stroke’ in terms of strategy last time around."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

F1 champion says Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton could 'embarrass' everyone with new upgrades

• 41 minutes ago

Ferrari 'must choose' Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc to challenge Mercedes in F1 title fight

• 1 hour ago

F1 News Today: Max Verstappen ‘causes Red Bull split’ as three drivers fight for seat

• 2 hours ago

Carlos Sainz quip may have revealed an F1 driver change

• 3 hours ago

Spanish Grand Prix organisers release statement over concerns new F1 track won't be ready

• Today 14:57

EXCLUSIVE: One step from the big time, this is the life of an F1 reserve driver

• Today 13:57