Team Principal Toto Wolff joined the Formula One team Mercedes in 2013, and so did Lewis Hamilton. And from the next year, the team dominated the F1 sport for over seven years. However, last year, Red Bull broke their dominance, winning both driver’s and constructor’s titles. Since then, the team has not let any team come near them to provide any competition. Although, in 2021, with the fierce competition between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the sport gained an increase in its already massive fan following.
The season ended on a roller coaster ride as the underdog or challenger to call the Dutchman emerged victorious over the seven-time reigning champion, Hamilton. Apparently, it fell down to the last lap when Max Verstappen narrowly edged out Lewis Hamilton. And since then, Mercedes has struggled with their car while Red Bull got a free space to dominate the grid. As a result, in 2022, Max Verstappen won 15 out of 22 Grand Prix races. On the other hand, Mercedes managed to win a solitary race in Brazil. However, from a fan’s perspective, it is not good for the F1 sport. If there is a lack of competition, then the sport loses excitement and interest.
Toto Wolff Feels Mercedes Can Provide Some Real Competition To Red Bull
In the last Grand Prix in Spain, Mercedes enjoyed their first double podium finish as Hamilton came second and his teammate George Russell finished at P3. Recently in an interview with an Austrian outlet, Oe24, Toto Wolff mentioned, “F1’s design always helps the best team to win. But the rules are the same for every team.” Moreover, the Mercedes boss mentioned in that interview that with a car like RB19, it is certainly possible to prevent any other team from winning. But Toto Wolff believes they have the best drivers to counter the challenge of Red Bull’s car.
However, the Austrian Billionaire knows that the W14 car with new upgrades must help the drivers to perform better than the way the season started for them. Toto Wolff believes that it is essential for the sport to see some competition between drivers or between teams to maintain viewership. Otherwise, the sport won’t grow and reach the untouched territories. Only time will tell if the German team can provide some competition to the current leaders of the points table.
Lewis Hamilton Is Waiting For His First Race Win Since The 2021 Saudi Arabia GP
Moreover, Lewis Hamilton did not win any race last year. And shockingly first time in his career, he finished with a winless season. Only Ferrari provided a little bit of competition to Red Bull, with Charles Leclerc winning two out of the first three races last year. Even when the current season started, the German team was having a tough time on the grid. It is because of the car’s zero-side pod concept, the rear downforce, and the cockpit position.
On the other hand, Red Bull is still dominating, as the Austrian team has won all the races so far. But Toto Wolff believes with new upgrades to W14, his team has got the power. They have what a team needs to break the hegemony of the rival team. Moreover, Mercedes performed well after adding two side pods and changing the front and floor suspensions.