After a decade of success, legendary driver Lewis Hamilton will remove his trademark silver-black race outfit and don the red Ferrari gear. During his eleven-year tenure with the Silver Arrows, the Briton became a superstar, setting nearly every F1 record. Hamilton, who already has seven world championships, will join the Maranello team in search of his eighth. The mind-blowing Ferrari move in February stunned everyone. However, the current season has been full of ups and downs.
Although the seven-time world champion wants to finish his farewell season with Mercedes on a high note, things have not gone in his favor. Moreover, Hamilton registered his best season result for 2024 during the recent Canada GP. The Briton finished at P4 with his partner George Russell one spot ahead. However, Hamilton was unhappy with race, claiming it to be ‘one of his worst.’ Now, Toto Wolff has backed his drivers as he believes it was a positive outcome for the Silver Arrows.
Wolff Confident Mercedes Will Lead the Pack Soon
At the beginning of the Canada weekend, the Briton was doing well until Q2, when he lost momentum in Q3, dropping him to seventh place. On the much-anticipated Sunday race, the 39-year-old demonstrated his ability and finished fourth. He was in contention for the podium, but teammate Russell was slightly faster, finishing third. This season, the 26-year-old driver has been statistically more successful than Hamilton. However, P4 was the best finish for the British after a difficult few weeks. Lewis Hamilton was discontent with his performance during the weekend, calling it one of the worst he’s ever driven.
However, the astute team boss, Toto Wolff, was pleased with the outing. In evaluating Mercedes’ performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, Wolff voiced cautious optimism. He emphasized that incorporating multiple new pieces has steadily increased the car’s performance, adding milliseconds to total speed. Wolff stated that the team’s efforts produce noticeable benefits, with additional major improvements expected in the following races, notably in Barcelona. He remarked on the recent race results, saying the third and fourth finish indicates an improvement over past efforts. Despite some bad feelings arising from missed possibilities, Wolff remains optimistic. He anticipated stiff competition from Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes in future races, highlighting the need for Mercedes to do well in order to climb the ladder.
‘Focus George Focus,’ Wolff Explains The Key Radio Moments During An Intense Race
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’s team principal, shared insights about his occasional communication with drivers over the team radio. Speaking to media outlets, the Austrian executive explained that he sometimes talks to the drivers, including George Russell, during the race. He mentioned that he calls them once in a while, particularly when the race isn’t going well, to calm them down.
Wolff believes offering advice can be helpful and hopes his input will benefit the young driver. He expressed confidence in Russell, emphasizing how well he knows the young driver. The 52-year-old Austrian feels he understands Russell’s mindset well, which allows him to offer targeted and effective guidance during critical moments in the race.