Toto Wolff admits he ‘almost lost’ a ‘very important’ person at Mercedes at the end of 2023

Toto Wolff explained that an important Mercedes team member almost quit the team at the end of the 2023 season.

Toto Wolff admits he ‘almost lost’ a ‘very important’ person at Mercedes at the end of 2023

Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)

Mercedes had been struggling for the past two and a half years to fight at the front of the grid. However, the curse was broken this year by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton as the Silver Arrows brought massive improvements in their performance. Team boss Toto Wolff recently admitted that his past decisions may have unintentionally worsened conditions for his team. However, he fully took responsibility for those mistakes and put pressure on team members.

Toto Wolff explained that at the end of 2023, he faced a lot of pressure that nearly caused him to lose a key team member. According to the Austrian manager, the key person played a very important role in the team. The stress within the team made it difficult for him to keep this person on board.

There was a moment, at the end of 2023, when, due to the pressure, I almost lost a very important person in my team.
Toto Wolff told Formula.hu
YouTube video

Wolff explained that the unnamed person was a highly respected and valued team member. One day, this person took the 52-year-old aside and told him that while he could continue as he wished, the person could no longer handle the stress. The environment within the Silver Arrows had caused so much stress that this team member was on the verge of leaving.

FS Video
He is a person I respect and appreciate a lot, who took me aside and said: 'Listen, you can continue to do what you are doing, but personally I can no longer take this pressure.'
Toto Wolff added.
RELATED
‘Ambitious’ Oscar Piastri does not rule himself out of content for 2024 F1 title
Oscar Piastri

Toto Wolff became ‘pragmatic’ to save Mercedes from ‘collapse’

Toto Wolff explained that he realized that the team was at risk of falling apart due to pressure. He acknowledged that he had to change his approach to become more practical and understanding. Instead of being harsh and straightforward, he started to analyze situations more carefully and offered people another chance. The 52-year-old recognized that being impatient and pushing too hard wouldn’t improve the car’s performance.

Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)
There was a risk that the team would collapse under the pressure and I changed, becoming pragmatic . I analyzed things more deeply and gave people another chance, instead of being too brutal and direct. And impatience does not make a car faster.
Toto Wolff stated.

Therefore, the Toto Wolff’s change in behavior led to major improvements in the team’s overall performance and growth. His adjusted approach also prevented a key figure from leaving the Brackley-based squad.

In case you missed it: