Wolff makes Mercedes admission: 'We misinterpreted the regulations'

Paul Macdonald
Sunday 22 January 2023 13:36 - Updated: 16:50

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted that the team 'got the physics wrong' and 'misinterpreted the regulations' which led to their underperformance in the 2022 season.

Mercedes struggled with a host of issues throughout the season, particularly with porpoising, which gave drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell difficulty controlling the car.

As a result the team could only finish third in the constructors championship, while seven-time world champion Hamilton ended the season without winning a single race.

Speaking in an interview with The Times, Wolff stated that the team had got it wrong in its preparation, and paid the price.

He said: "We got the physics wrong. It’s no myth.

"We misinterpreted some of the regulations. We put too much emphasis on seeking performance in a car that was supposed to run on the ground, very low. But you can’t run it so low, because it [the floor of the car] was hitting the ground.

"So we had to lift it up, which changed things again. It sounds like a trivial explanation, but this is the reality.”

Wolff has no regrets over not 'meddling'

Wolff was also asked if he wished he had intervened a little more in the development process in the build-up to the new season, but the 51-year-old added that the degree of trust and autonomy handed to his mechanics left them in control.

He added: "We’ve been lucky to win eight constructors’ titles in a row, which is unprecedented. And that is due to the fact that we empower the staff here. If I started to meddle in technical decisions after such a winning streak that would be odd.

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“So at that stage, I am in observer mode. I try to guide from a human perspective. Is there anything we need in additional resources? Having said that, I am responsible as the CEO and co-owner. And we, as a team, got it wrong.”