Toto Wolff, the team principal for Mercedes, has revealed the startling fact that the team’s finest race of the 2023 Formula 1 season took place in Austin.
Hamilton and George Russell were disappointed with their car’s performance and their inability to keep up with Red Bull.
In an interview with SpeedCafe, Toto Wolff discussed the British team’s fruitless season.
It was in Sao Paulo last year when a Mercedes driver last stood atop the podium.
Although Russell emerged triumphant that day, the youthful British player found it difficult to capitalize upon his outstanding rookie year.
Lewis Hamilton performed a great job finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship despite the car being challenging to drive, especially considering he didn’t have a win.
This season’s Austin race was arguably Hamilton’s best, and even after being disqualified, Wolff acknowledged that Mercedes likely had the best race of the year there as well.
That speaks much about their difficulties, even if many other manufacturers would be thrilled to complete a difficult year by placing second in the championship.
To try and catch up to Red Bull in 2024, they must now reinvent their vehicle during the winter.
According to Mercedes CEO Wolff, the team’s greatest race came in Austin.
When asked which race was the team’s best and why, Wolff responded, “This may sound funny given that we were disqualified, but Austin!
“We were pursuing the leader, the car was operating well, and we had an upgrade package that worked. “Well, you were disqualified for a car that was too low,” you may argue, but the real performance was evident, and the weekend was wonderful.
I’ve always maintained that if we hadn’t tuned it well, I’d prefer to drive a fast automobile. Of course, you have to finish.
“However, considering the strong correlation between the wind tunnel and the track, that was the best weekend overall.”
Hamilton may challenge Verstappen in 2024 if he’s driving the correct car, according to Jenson Button.
Wolff is hoping Mercedes can produce a vehicle that can perform at such a high level in Austin for the duration of the season.
It will be more difficult said than done, and Red Bull has probably started as well.
But the existing restrictions only allow for so much improvement in the car, and by 2024 the teams’ differences should narrow.
