Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team began the 2024 F1 season as a mid-field team owing to an uncompetitive W15 challenger. However, since team principal and CEO Toto Wolff invoked a sense of urgency in the Brackley factory, the team won three races in Austria, Silverstone, and Spa.
Upgrades are being introduced every weekend to transform W15 into a competitive car. That being said, the fact of the matter is that despite a major turnaround towards mid-season, Mercedes remains driver short for the 2025 season. And with its recent performance gains, Toto Wolff indirectly coxed three-time world champion Max Verstappen to accomplish his far-fetched dream.
Toto Wolff To Give Max Verstappen More Opportunities To Look At Mercedes Car
Toto Wolff’s quest to sign three-time world champion and Red Bull loyalist Max Verstappen has been well-documented ever since Lewis Hamilton confirmed his blockbuster Ferrari move earlier this year. Moreover, Red Bull’s internal politics and instability acted as a ray of hope for Wolff to accomplish the unthinkable far-fetched move. However, while Wolff is desperate, Verstappen is adamant about adhering to his present contract with the drink-based outfit that extends until 2028. That being said, the Austrian team principal believed that building a competitive car was eventually the key to luring Verstappen, and that’s exactly what Mercedes has been trying to accomplish all season long.
Heading into the summer break, the German manufacturers won three races in Austria, Silverstone, and Spa. However, Toto Wolff reiterated that fixing a driver’s lineup for the 2025 season is not his priority right now. “I think we need to stay calm and continue to focus on the car,” Wolff said. As far as Max Verstappen’s dream pursuit is concerned, the team principal said that the Dutch driver will have more opportunities to look at Mercedes’ car now that he has fallen behind in the pecking order. Notably, since Monaco, Red Bull’s standards have fallen drastically. By summer break last year, Max had already won the championship, whereas this year, he has won just 7 races in total. While the Dutchman will still end up winning his fourth title due to a gigantic lead over Lando Norris, Red Bull is likely to lose the constructors title, with the lead to McLaren being reduced to 42 points following the Belgian Grand Prix.
How George Russell Lost His Spa Win To Lewis Hamilton?
In a dramatic of events, Mercedes lost its 1-2 finish in Spa following a disqualification of George Russell. Interestingly, Russell managed to pull off a one-stop strategy to come home P1 on degraded hard tyres whereas Lewis Hamilton fell a few tenths short on a much fresher hard compounds.
However, George Russell’s W15 failed FIA’s post-race quality check. His car was found to be 1.5 kg underweight with regards to the minimum requirement set by FIA. Hence, he was disqualified immediately and lost 25 crucial points. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was awarded his second win of the season as he inherited Russell’s place. Regardless, Mercedes still won, which was their third win of the season.
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