Toto Wolff can’t really get over the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It is understandable that it will be hard for both Lewis Hamilton and his team. Mercedes had already won the constructor’s title back in 2021. But came to the final race of that season, Lewis Hamilton was unable to finish at the top of the podium. As a result, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went on to win his maiden title. It hit the Mercedes boss and the team, along with the seven-time champion, as a shock.
At present, Mercedes is getting ready for the fight against Ferrari to finish at P2 in 2023. The gap between the two teams is only about 4 points, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the only remaining race this year. Regarding the race, Toto Wolff mentioned in an interview with the media, including RacingNews365, that it should be a fair race as they have a proper race director this time.
Toto Wolff Hints At Painful 2021 Memories While Talking About This Year’s Upcoming Abu Dhabi GP
The Mercedes Boss feels the final race will be good as they’ll have a proper race director. Clearly, he was hinting at Michael Masi’s blunder in 2021. Adding to that, Toto Wolff mentioned Ferrari is a good team, and they are going to Abu Dhabi with almost equal points. Moreover, the Mercedes boss mentioned that a P2 finish will be a positive a way to end the season. However, Wolff added that P2 or P3 finishes doesn’t really excite him anyway. On top of that, Toto Wolff mentioned Mercedes could have been on par in Las Vegas. But the Mercedes boss also knows that there is no point crying about it now.
Hence, he said, “Let’s just race.” It all comes down to the last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi again. But this time it will determine which team finishes second and who ends at third place. Moreover, Toto Wolff expressed the fatigue that his mind feels due to the hectic F1 schedule. He mentioned it is hard to tell what time zone they are on when they wake up and where’s the washroom in the hotel room. Hence, Toto is just looking forward to the season getting over as soon as possible.
What Went Wrong In The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Moreover, Hamilton was on his way to win his coveted eighth F1 title. He would have become the first and only driver to win eight F1 titles. Anyway, Mercedes won their eighth constructor title in 2021. But the pain that Hamilton felt is unforgettable for Toto Wolff and Mercedes as well. They want to build a car to help Hamilton achieve that record. It has been due for a long time. Toto Wolff, his team, and the fans blame the race director, Michael Masi, for the mishap during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix of 2021.
Masi allowed the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap when he deployed the safety car in Abu Dhabi 2021 GP with five laps remaining. He was not following proper Safety car restart procedures. Later, FIA fired Masi on the grounds of “Human Error.” However, even after the FIA investigation, there was no chance for Hamilton to claim the title. It belongs to Max Verstappen.