“I’m in a hamster wheel,” Toto Wolff dismisses leaving Mercedes over disastrous Australian GP

Mercedes has been struggling in F1’s ground-effect era. The Silver Arrows have fallen behind the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari since 2022. Despite Brackley’s best efforts, Toto Wolff‘s squad has failed to have a good start to the 2024 F1 season. Now, Wolff has made it clear that he will not leave the role of Team Principal amidst the continued performance slump.

Lewis Hamilton suffered an engine failure which forced him out of the Australian GP. While George Russell crashed on the final lap of the race. This came as another disappointing result for the Silver Arrows. Toto Wolff admitted that he has asked himself if he really was the right person to lead the team in light of the recent struggles. However, the Austrian billionaire claimed that leaving was simply not an answer.

I look in the mirror every day. Asking me if I'm the right person to raise the team is an honest question, but leaving is not the answer.

Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1

The 52-year-old claimed that he was not a soccer coach who could leave and join a rival club. Toto Wolff owns one-third of the Mercedes F1 team and also serves as its CEO. Subsequently, Wolff affirmed that he did not have a choice to leave the team. So much so, that the Austrian claimed to be stuck in a spinning hamster wheel.

I'm not a soccer coach. This is not my job. I can't stop and then go to Chelsea or Liverpool...I don't have this choice and from a certain point of view it's a shame. I'm in a hamster wheel which keeps spinning and I can't jump out.

Wolff continued

Australian GP was brutal for both Mercedes and Toto Wolff

The Austrian billionaire acknowledged that it was extremely difficult to deal with the double DNF. The 52-year-old confessed that he was not feeling optimistic after the brutal weekend at Albert Park. Toto Wolff claimed that Mercedes had hoped that the W15 was a better car than its predecessor.

What happened is super difficult to deal with and I would lie if I said that I feel optimistic or positive. Today is brutal. 

Toto Wolff noted

However, Wolff highlighted that the Silver Arrows had fallen behind the likes of Ferrari and McLaren since the 2023 Australian GP. The 52-year-old admitted that he felt like punching himself in the nose after seeing these results. Nevertheless, the Mercedes team boss mentioned that it was important to keep faith in the team.

Certainly, Mercedes has found itself in a difficult situation after the Australian GP. The Silver Arrows have a lot of work to do to find its way back to the front. It will now depend on Toto Wolff to try and regroup his squad after such a disappointing weekend. Wolff would be hoping to motivate his crew to bounce back at the next round in Japan.

In case you missed it:

• Toto Wolff reveals why Mercedes can sign Max Verstappen despite open rejection
• Helmut Marko claims Max Verstappen will “dominate” the Japanese GP after shock brake failure at Albert Park

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