Ex-F1 driver claims Toto Wolff ‘lost’ without Niki Lauda at Mercedes

Mercedes has not been able to challenge for the F1 world championship since 2021.

Ex-F1 driver claims Toto Wolff ‘lost’ without Niki Lauda at Mercedes

Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda (Via: Imago)

Mercedes has been stuck in a downward spiral since the introduction of the ground effect era in 2022 and has failed to get on top of its various cars. Moreover, the team lost its key advisor and world champion, Niki Lauda, in 2019, who people credited for the Silver Arrows’s success in the turbo-hybrid era along with Toto Wolff.

Mercedes joined the F1 grid back in 2010 under the leadership of Ross Brawn. However, this soon changed with the arrival of Toto Wolff in 2013 and Niki Lauda. The latter played a key role in helping them poach Lewis Hamilton from McLaren. But with the unfortunate demise of the Austrian in 2019, the team has seemed to not recover from his absence, and Ex-F1 driver, Christian Danner has taken the time to shed light on the tough state of affairs at the German manufacturer.

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Danner is adamant that the team misses the presence of Lauda and his leadership.

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He[Toto Wolff] has his team that he has to get along with somehow… You’re ‘lost. What he misses a lot, I keep saying, is definitely Niki Lauda.

Christian Danner said in an interview with Formula1.de

The 66-year-old states that Wolff is accountable for how the team performs. He also believes that after the tough 2021 season, the Mercedes boss has lost direction and requires a lead figure to guide him along the way. Thus, according to Danner, Mercedes’s days in darkness might continue for a bit longer until the team finds its way back to being a world championship-caliber team.

Christian Horner takes a jibe at Toto Wolff

Normality returned in the paddock when Max Verstappen won the Japanese GP. Furthermore, after the Dutchman’s dominant victory, Wolff claimed the 2024 season to have been wrapped up and already in the bag of the reigning champions. However, Christian Horner reckons otherwise and has taken shots at the Austrian.

Christian Horner and Toto Wolff.
Christian Horner and Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)

The Brit and Wolff have had their fair share of verbal tussles over the years.

It's very early to write off your year. There's still 20 races to go, but I've learned not to listen too much to what Toto [Wolff] said over the years.
Christian Horner said in an interview with Express

The 50-year-old claimed it was too early to write off a year with 20 races still left to go. Moreover, there have been multiple instances of teams developing through the season and challenging for the title. However, Horner claimed that he has learned to not fall prey to the Austrian’s words and is aware of his tricks.

Despite the mind games, Red Bull seems to have enough of a gap to other teams to conquer the 2024 championship. However, the rival outfits would be on the hunt to claim the remaining spot on the podium, which Mercedes cannot seem to challenge for currently. As things stand, Ferrari is the second-best team behind the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.

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