Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have had a tough season so far due to the troubles with their newly designed ground-effect car. George Russell is also struggling with the W13 in his rookie season for the German outfit. However, the two Mercedes drivers have shown great resilience by showing consistency despite the car troubles. The Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff commended his drivers for their amazing work this season, regarding the duo as the best driving pair on the grid.
Mercedes have struggled since the start of the season this year. And this allowed Red Bull and Mercedes to take a subsequent lead. The Silver Arrows struggled with the hurtful porpoising and found themselves fighting for points finish, let alone podiums. They have not won a single race before the summer break, a rare feat during a decade of domination.
Toto Wolff Reveals Lewis Hamilton’s Biggest Opponent
However, the Silver Arrows have progressed over the course of the season, with exciting results in the last five races. Lewis Hamilton has clinched five consecutive podiums, along with two double podium finishes in France and Hungary. Thus, Mercedes is more hopeful than ever that a race win might be coming their way very soon. With their consistent progress, the Silver Arrows find themselves just thirty points short of the second-placed Ferrari in the constructors’ championship.
The Mercedes team principal talked about the cooperation between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during a tough time for the team. Wolff reckoned the biggest opponent for Russell and Hamilton has been the car, not the teammate or other drivers. The former Austrian driver claimed that Mercedes’ troubles have certainly been beneficial regarding the respect the two drivers have shared so far. Lewis and George had used different setups on a lot of occasions, with a common goal of exchanging impressions and getting out of the situation they experienced. However, it remains to be seen if the respect between the two Mercedes drivers would be a predominant factor when they start to compete for race wins and championships.
Wolff Reckons Hamilton Could Win Ten F1 Championships
The Mercedes boss also talked about Lewis Hamilton’s future in F1 and Mercedes. Wolff clarified that the Silver Arrows are not looking for Lewis’ replacement at all. The Briton is expected to continue beyond the 2023 season. Talking about the eighth potential championship victory, Wolff said that it would be exciting for Hamilton to be the only driver in motorsport history to achieve the feat.
However, the Austrian pointed out that Lewis Hamilton must be proud of having seven titles equivalent to F1 veteran Michael Schumacher. Wolff felt the achievement is equally important and historic. Mercedes’ goal is to get the right performance back and provide Hamilton with the right car. The 50-year-old concluded, “Why only think about eight world titles? Why not 10?”