Wolff denies relationship with Hamilton is breaking down
Apr.24 - Toto Wolff has denied that his relationship with Lewis Hamilton is breaking down - and also rejected suggestions he should quit as team boss.
It comes as seven time world champion Hamilton admits his 2022 title hopes are over at the fourth grand prix of the season, with Wolff admitting Imola is Mercedes' "low point".
"That question won't be long in coming," said Wolff when asked if he is braced for those who claim the slump might result in his ousting as team boss.
"But no problem at all - my shoulders are wide enough for that," he told RTL.
"I'm a co-owner of this team, so I'm not going anywhere. You also have to take criticism. And I always question myself before anyone else.
"For motivation, energy level, is it still fun? I answered everything positively for myself. If one day that isn't the case, I would be the first to admit it and hand the baton to someone who can run faster.
"But I enjoy it - I enjoy the recovery. Now let's see if we can do it."
It's the 'bright side' approach to a bitter pill for Mercedes to swallow after years of utter dominance in Formula 1 - and comes just one day after Wolff and Hamilton were seen in an obvious argument in the pits.
"We didn't argue at all," the Austrian insists. "We were just angry because of the results of the session.
"He yelled at me, I yelled at him, but the reason for such an emotional exchange of pleasantries was the same."
Wolff says it's only natural that, after so much success, F1 teams tend to ease off the throttle and end up in a performance slump.
"With our eight titles, we have already pushed this level very far," he said.
"As humans, we have to look at ourselves and ask whether we are not so hungry anymore. But I don't see that.
"Nevertheless, we must be on our guard. Is there anyone who doesn't have the same level of energy? Or the same motivation - not having the same fun at work anymore?
"I ask these questions mercilessly," Wolff admitted.
One such question is whether Mercedes has seriously faltered with the basic 'no sidepods' philosophy of its 2022 car, in which so-called 'porpoising' is a major problem.
"There are no sacred cows at all," Wolff answered.
"If we are of the opinion that this will not get us anywhere - and this decision will be made in the next few months - then at some point we have to say 'At what point did we have a car that worked and why did it work?'
"We will then develop from there and try to solve these problems."
Hamilton, meanwhile, is already starting to re-focus his sights on the 2023 championship.
"We have to be realistic about that," said the Briton. "We'd have to somehow find 1.5 seconds very quickly and then finish ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull in every race.
"It's more important now to find a solution - hopefully this year, but at the latest for next season.
"We must not find ourselves in a situation like this again," the seven time world champion insisted.
Compounding the problem is that, while Mercedes grapples to find the solution for its woes, Ferrari and Red Bull are racing away at the front.
Red Bull, for instance, introduced car weight savings at Imola, and world champion Max Verstappen said the 2022 Red Bull is now "definitely better and lighter".
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a new brush would sweep clean.but theres no rush.im enjoying seeing them humiliated
Humiliated? You mean the 8 time consecutive world champions? Mate, that’s worldly, something, whomever it is you root for, will never achieve, nobody will again. If it weren’t for Mercedes pushing the limits and forcing the FIA to introduce regulations to directly affect them, nobody would be challenging again. You have any idea about their rear suspension? My guess is no, we’ll mate, it was LIGHT years better than everyone else’s. Now it’s banned. You think Mercedes Is feeling humiliated? Naw, only jackass donkeys like you would think that way…
yes ofcourse thats what we most sucessfull teams do , isnt it, deliberately give themselves a handicap, No your right Merc isnt humiliated, , but you should be, posting ... 8 wcc, and whose talking about that now? , thats right No One ...lol
George, this is Toto, Lewis says youve got to slow down, your making him look bad every race.
Toto, this is George, Nawww your ok, im fine where I am thanks, hes the GOAT after all..!
George , this is Toto, No George,that's not right Noooo.
Fernando is faster than you,Fernando is faster than you, confirm you understood, just replace Fernando with King George...
humble pie time for mercedes,you lot will be eating lots more before this year is over .
Hammiton, "my team doesn't make mistakes" LOL!
Russell P4 Cornrow P14
What happened to the guy who could drive from the back of the field to a win? Oh wait, without the mystery rear wing that did not happen.
The carnival is over , and so is our love, player one game over.
Nico I love you
Funny, these interviews never include RUS's success, limited but real. Everything is about Poor Lewie and how MB is letting him down. Hey, they gave him a far superior car for 8 years and allowed him to achieve knighthood. Now it's an average car and the kid is whipping his butt. Reality, friends, reality.
How true you are Ror.
Humility is a sour pill to swallow, especially coming from Merc. It was bound to happen sooner or later. All the great teams, Ferrari, McClaren, Williams have faltered. Mercedes is now on that list. They will improve as time goes on, but how a team handles itself during losing times is a real measure of a true championship team. That goes for drivers as well.
What is it Lewis says , we win together and we lose together, yeah that's true but LH will be the one retiring at the end of the yr,VB must be laughing his arse off...
Anyway they've the best people, the best facilities mmmmmm, have they secretly snuck paddy lowe back in, and is he a Rb mole, i do find it difficult to believe they didn't know they had a real issue with the car before race 1...!!??
I must look back at testing times etc , were they bouncing that bad then?
The higher up the mountain you are , the bigger the fall and the more it hurts.., your bang on Susan, they all fail but must say its nice not to hear the same old Bull from Lulu, as for Toto, hes the new spin master, no Laudi to help him, a bit of a mess allround really and I think still worse to come
Gone is the day when he would say"OK GUYS LEAVE IT TO ME" only because he had the car.
Lots of drama though, great for the media. Like you Strop I find it hard to believe that a team with such huge resources as MB can’t produce a car as good as Haas or Alpine. Equally it beggars belief that the Fia can spend months to reach an obvious conclusion and then not have the balls to put things right.
All for the media and money, money, money.
These are probably the worst comments pages in the world .
Agreed but you don’t have to read them, it’s not Russia. Heaven forbid we take ourselves seriously.
Now leave us alone Strop and I are doing a crash course in race directing. I think we need RoR and Jax as stewards.
Didn't think anybody was speaking to Jax so that wouldn't work, sorry but is Jax a Mrs or a Mr, may pushing ml luck here.
Not rue, Shrop' is still speaking with Jaxwad. Of course, Shrop' is the closest thing we have to an adult in the room. That's the reason for his nomination as Race Director alongside Blo'.
Ha# (with acknowledgement to Swede)
I only communicate with Jax, when i've been to the pub and need a Taxi, then i can eat my kebab and spill chilli sauce onto his face leather c class seats, as for me being an adult, or even close to it , mmmm well yeh ok, btw why do we need 2 race directors, hasn't the one guy one the first 4 races?
Looks like Our Knights bid to buy into football has failed too, the guy just cant catch a break these days
Shrop', no offense but we just cannot rely on either of you guys alone. Way too many distractions in Miami and neither of you has exhibited much in the way of focus.
i reckon jaxalene is a girl at the moment.
Jaxwad and me in the same room? You'll get an infraction decision sometime during the 2023 season.....maybe.
Carl, you don't get it. Most of us here realize that our academic comments have zero impact on our sport. Think of it as a rowdy pub with a bunch of drunks laughing and shouting at one another. Plenty of places for meaningless serious comments.
Thanks shropp, now I know he's a he if I see someone with chille over their face I'll know its Jax.
I resent your nasturtiums, i’m Totally focused, now what colours are the pants available in and which colour do you think Angela would prefer?
Is F1 still going?
It is sooo boring when talking about sir Lulu but he just doesn't stop does he, saying that he always had respect for other drivers and that the young f1 drivers of today are aggressive, if I remember and please correct me if I'm wrong but didn't he take C. Leclerc, Albon and infamously take out of MV at you know where by sticking the wheel in what in the world can shut this guy up.
Debate can rage about who hes taken out , SS sticks in my mind for obv reasons, but the longer hes where he is on the grid , the more the journos will seek airtime else, and tbf after the 4 races sofar they've plenty to go at.
As for LaLa in the news, i dont think once ive seen LuLu in a blm t shirt or talking about it this yr, similarly his diversity project... aka mission44 very quiet on that front too
Merc should be over the moon the next race is in Miami, , apparently the local football team ( aptly named) has offered there assistance with porpoising, be right up Lewis's strasse that
Well mercedes will hope its raining for Miami race for porpoise go faster in the wet "did I just say that" see it's getting to me Hell.! 😜
Angela has had to remind Sir many times before he starts ‘it’s slippery when wet’ especially at Monaco where he could disappear into the tunnel never to be seen again.
As race directors (provisional) Strop and I have to be constantly on our guard for changes in slippery ness but we will rise to the challenge skinny shorts providing.
Blohead, im crying off Miami , I am getting worried about your use of Language, heres an example, Slippery,Wet,Tunnel add that to your passion for skinny shorts, being in the race directors booth for 3 hours with you, ill pass on that for reasons given .
Shrop, I’m very sorry to hear you are unable to attend though i’m Not sure I understand your reasons. Shame because Angela has just confirmed that she is looking forward to joining us for afternoon tea (though felt it might get a bit sticky in the booth) and looked forward to trying a cucumber sandwich.
Kindest regards
Blown fly
PS. Just read your comment about tractors as I wrote this and accidentally typed sticky porn capers instead of sticky prawn canapés. Under no circumstances put this in a search engine, I fear I shall never feel the same again!!!
Kicked him out of bed?
Kicked him out of bed?
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