Toto Wolff compares Mercedes’ W14 model to 2017 model and confirms focus will soon switch to 2024 challenger
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Toto Wolff has dubbed Mercedes' W14 as "Diva 2.0," noting that it's more challenging to rectify compared to the 2017 car that initially earned that moniker. Wolff affirms that Mercedes will soon prioritize the development of their 2024 car. He emphasizes the need to draw inspiration from McLaren's progress as Aston Martin makes significant strides in performance.
5.39pm, UK, Wednesday 12 July 2023
Toto Wolff has labeled the Mercedes car another ‘diva’ and says the team has no choice but to shift focus to the 2024 challenger soon.
Lewis Hamilton finished third in Sunday’s British GP but was unable to pass McLaren’s Lando Norris for second as Max Verstappen took another win to extend his championship lead.
Mercedes are second in the Constructors’ Championship but 208 points behind Red Bull, while Hamilton is fourth in the Drivers’ standings, 134 points behind Verstappen.
With the Silver Arrows’ hopes of regaining the world titles already outdated, Wolff is set to focus on producing a title car in 2024.
“I think very soon, we have no choice,” said the Mercedes boss when asked when that switch would come.
“P2 or P3 basically has no impact on me and the team. It’s about going back and being able to win a world championship.
Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton engaged in an epic battle for the Silverstone crowd following the safety car period.
“That won't occur this year, thus we must redirect our focus toward the next year. We should then anticipate the upcoming races, aiming to acquire knowledge, evolve, and ensure that we can carry those advancements into the following year."
"However, having stated that, the regulations remain unchanged, so persisting with this vehicle won't yield any new insights. It's a balance we must strike correctly."
Wolff had thought the British GP would offer one of the best results of the year for Mercedes, but Hamilton and George Russell qualified seventh and sixth respectively and while Hamilton finished on the podium, he received a huge boost by being able to make the his only pit stop under the Safety Car and therefore stay ahead of those who had already stopped.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were very impressed by the McLaren pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after the British GP at Silverstone.
Wolff says Mercedes can still beat Red Bull and Max Verstappen on track this year, but that the W14’s unpredictability and ‘diva’ characteristics – a term Wolff first used to describe fluctuating performance of the 2017 Mercedes car – is hindering them.
"I believed that Silverstone, given our track record, presented a stronger opportunity for a first win in 2023," Wolff stated."
"It's possible that there might be another circuit where our prospects are higher due to the changed characteristics of the car."
“I always believe we can beat Max. We have a good group of people, the best drivers and we just have to give them a more predictable car and not the Diva 2.0 and much more complicated than the first one.”
Wolff: McLaren and Aston Martin’s progress should be encouraging
Highlights from the British GP at Silverstone as Max Verstappen looked to secure a sixth consecutive win.
As they look to return to world championship contention, Wolff believes Mercedes should be encouraged rather than frustrated by the big leaps in performance that Aston Martin and now McLaren have made in 2023.
Aston Martin have emerged as a top team this year, while updates McLaren have made to their car in Austria and Silverstone have taken it from arguably the slowest car at the start of the season to second per merit last weekend.
Wolff explained, "The intriguing aspect of McLaren's resurgence is that within a single season, you can introduce upgrades that entirely transform the car's performance. We're not discussing mere fractions of a second, but rather a full second."
"It's beneficial for the sport when the correct actions lead to noticeable improvements – we've observed this pattern with Aston Martin consistently and now with McLaren throughout the current year."
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“We’ve been struggling with our car for a year and a half trying to add performance, it’s arrived but it’s just taking away those little gains rather than taking a step like that.
“But I really see the positives. Basically I don’t care if we finish second or third, it’s important to find our way back to fight for wins and the world championship. While podiums are really happy for us to see that the car has potential, basically all eyes are on the grand prize and that’s why it’s exciting to see McLaren have been able to find a second in performance.”
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Will Mercedes follow Red Bull sidepod design in 2024?
The advances of Aston Martin and McLaren have come hand in hand with their cars being more visually similar to Red Bull, which remain unbeaten this season.
Mercedes ditched its ‘no-sidepod’ concept with a big aerodynamic upgrade package at the Monaco GP and Wolff has hinted the team is reevaluating whether to use a Red Bull-inspired design in 2024.
“The side panels and the bodywork make up just a part of the chassis. Clearly these seem to be very interesting solutions, but most of the performance goes through the floorpan and the diffuser and we haven’t seen how they interpreted the regulations and how they have the I did.
“So, in my opinion, it’s just the package. We see that the strong cars all look a bit the same when you look at them from the side and top down. And certainly that has played on our minds already back in the day. But maybe it’s just one more indication of where it’s going.
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“We already had the sidepod concept and the bodywork in the tunnel to see what avenues it would open up and how much it would add to performance. And the relative downforce loss, the way we measure it, was substantial.
“So it’s not something we wanted to pursue earlier in the year. We’ve changed our design direction, I think we have a great aero group led by (Technical Director) James (Allison) and I’m sure that will be a consideration given the step they took.”
Wolff also confirmed that Hamilton and Russell’s seating positions will be further back in the car on the 2024 Mercedes design.
“It’s definitely something we want to take off the table as a possible talking point,” Wolff said.
"Based on the data, we haven't identified any significant disparities from what the car is expected to perform, but these cars still retain an element of unpredictability, meaning the driver might encounter challenges."
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