Toto Wolff would rather support Red Bull despite optimistic predictions for the Australian Grand Prix and much experience with the revolutionary zero sidepod technology. Since the Mercedes CEO has already expressed his desire, it’s only a matter of time before his team intensifies the necessary adjustments.
Wolff previously stated that speeding up the challenger is his main goal. For that, he wouldn’t care or bother if he had to go Red Bull’s way. This comes after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia provided the Brackley-based crew with a sobering reality check.
The stakes were bigger than ever after last year’s failure. The Silver Arrows went back to their black opponents with high hopes for a dramatic change in the air.
Toto Wolff has said he would have 'no shame' in copying Red Bull's design if it meant for a faster Mercedes 👀 pic.twitter.com/9METqdYdwn
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 25, 2023
But, with Aston Martin emerging as the new rival, things either stayed the same or got worse. The eight-time champions took their first hit of the season at the Bahrain International Circuit, which was followed by a race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit that had not been renovated.
Change Is Necessary, According to Wolff
The Austrian executive believes that the W14 needs to undergo a significant makeover. Given that it is so far behind its rivals in terms of performance, a drastic adjustment is now required, even if it means blatantly imitating the work of the Milton-Keynes-based team.
Mike Elliott, Mercedes’ Chief Technical Officer, has made hints that the group has already begun working on it. W14 will be present in the forthcoming Australian GP with a few modifications and then at the Azerbaijan GP.
Detalles del Mercedes W14 en Jeddah
Details of the Mercexes W14 for Jeddah. #f1 pic.twitter.com/JkJB7JHpcM
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) March 16, 2023
Elliott claimed that the engineers are examining the floor, sideboard, and aerodynamics in an effort to lessen drag. The Mercedes executive thinks that the architectural alterations will result in a lot of good.
What S Next for Mercedes?
Everything for the Brackley-based crew started going well after discussions about the necessary changes. Wolff thought the indications he observed at the factory were encouraging.
Once the team has seen how the W14 performs on the track, he continued, they must gradually integrate the alterations. Given how competitive the competition is after the reigning champs, even a modest improvement could end up being a crucial factor.
The Mercedes W14 in Melbourne 🇦🇺
••••••••#F1 | #AustralianGP | #MercedesAMGF1 | #LewisHamilton | #GeorgeRussell | #LH44 | #GR63 pic.twitter.com/1CvcH4CNsm— Mercedes AMG F1 Team News (@MercedesF1_News) March 29, 2023
Meanwhile, Toto Wolff aims to catch up to Red Bull in the upcoming days. Nonetheless, his immediate goal is to surpass Ferrari and Aston Martin and finish as the second-best squad on the grid.
What about George Russell and Lewis Hamilton?
Lewis Hamilton already said that the team ignored his reservations about the new rival. He added that this time around, he doesn’t feel linked to the car.
Things appear perilous for the German squad because the seven-time world champion has not yet renewed his contract, and there are speculations that he may leave the team. He did state that he wants to remain on the squad, but nothing is set in stone just yet.
George Russell, on the other hand, has a little less trouble with the W14 than his teammate does. Russell, who believes in the value of working together to improve as a team, is now having a good time at Brackley despite the challenging Australian predictions.
