Toto Wolff breaks down Mercedes ‘new mindset’ after a disastrous start to 2024

Mercedes did not get the start they wished for but believes the could turn over the situation at Australian GP.

Toto Wolff breaks down Mercedes ‘new mindset’ after a disastrous start to 2024

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff (Via IMAGO)

Mercedes content and confident with their new challenger W15 ahead of the 2024 season and expected a solid season. But expectations proved to be bit too much shortly after the preseason tests. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, two Mercedes drivers, were also happy with the car’s performance during preseason testing and the disappointing run continued to the first two races of the season.

Problems started to emerge from the season opener. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were slow at the race and the cars suffered cooling issues as well. Next weekend at Saudi Arabia the cars were pretty slow on the high-speed corners and drivers had over work to get top-10 finishes. This has made Team Principal Toto Wolff to change his mindset going into the Australian GP, as they are yet to even identify the fundamental issue with the car.

YouTube video
I've changed my mindset, I don't think that additional pressure on all of us makes it better. This team has not been overconfident. We are probably the other way around. We see that glass is half empty always. And that attitude stays, but this is also the attitude to fix it. It is a different confidence that I have in the group this time around.
Toto Wolff said via motorsport.com.

According to Toto Wolff, the issues with the cars more to do with physics than the team’s mindset. The team has been seen struggling on track a lot, leading to frustration from drivers, there are certain areas when it comes to speed where they need downforce, but they do not have it as of yet. 

FS Video

George Russell is finding it difficult to understand the W15 

George Russell felt quite confident about the new challenger W15 during the preseason testing in Bahrain. According to the Englishman, this challenger is far better than its previous predecessors. But the While talking to the media after the Saudi Arabian GP Russell expressed his confusion regarding the car, and said that he is yet to understand the car.  

George Russell
George Russell (via IMAGO)
Still struggling to understand this car, in all honesty. Because it’s shown true performance at points. At Bahrain, we were P1 and P2 in practice, straight out of the box. Here [in Jeddah] on Thursday, we were quick. And we’ve kind of got a little bit slower as the weekend progressed.
George Russell said.

For Hamilton and Co. it hasn’t been the start they would have wanted. The confusion around the car’s issues is still there. Another main issue is the bumping of the car, and the corner-speed that affects performance. The team still has one weekend ahead of Australian GP to work around and solve the issues and hit the ground running.

In case you missed it: