Wolff opts to join Mercedes in Japan after recent struggles
Toto Wolff made a U-turn on his decision not to attend the Japanese Grand Prix as it would have been the “wrong choice” given Mercedes’ recent troubles.
The Mercedes team boss was scheduled not to be at Suzuka this weekend and it is understood that was planned before the start of the new season and not as a result of the team’ s poor performance at the Australian Grand Prix.
Neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell finished the race in Melbourne, with Russell’s fifth-placed finish in the season-opener in Bahrain the best result for the team so far this year.
Having dominated the sport between 2014 and 2021, Mercedes have struggled since new regulations arrived the following year and have won just one race in that time.
Wolff changed his mind on attending the race in Suzuka – where Russell and Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in first practice before a rain-affected second session – and explained the call yesterday afternoon.
“I had planned not to come to Japan, because there’s so much
on back in Europe, things to do,” he said. “But then I felt not coming to Japan was the wrong choice. I think it’s important to be with the race team…it does me good also, to be close to the action. We’re experimenting with a few things and then being part of the team really gives me energy and I hope the other way around, too. So that’s why i decided against staying in Europe.”
Speaking on Thursday, Hamiltonwas asked about the tough times of both drivers not crossing the finish line last time out.
“I think it’s all about perspec tive. I think for us of course we’ve not started the season where we wanted to be ,” he said.
“We’ve got a long way to go. We’ ve seen in the past–last year for example – how things can switch with certain teams.
“I think we’ve just got to learn as much as we can, take as much as we can from the data, remain positive, continue to work hard an dial ways say it’ s not how you fall, it’s how you get up. We will just continue to chase and fight and hope we can be fighting at the front at some stage.”
Wolff, too, was keen to be optimistic when asked about this season’s struggles. “We are a sports team, we’ve won eight times in a row, and that hasn’t been done before. But you have periods where you struggle and you can’t win every time,” he said. “That’s why this is a super challenge and it’s not a race, it’s not one single season, and then you come back out on top, but it’s the third one in a row. But I remain absolutely convinced we will be looking back in a few years and saying that was so tough, but so important for the development of the team.”
Hamilton, who has won six of Mercedes’ seven consecutive drivers’ championships, is leaving to join Ferrari next season. He has tipped Sebastian Vet te la san“amazing option” to take his seat at Mercedes after the four-time world champion revealed he has been considering returning to F1 after leaving in 2022.
Vettel admitted he has been talking to Wolff – who was full of praise for the former Red Bull and Ferrari man, before confirming he has whittled down the options for 2025 to two or three drivers. “Sebastian is someone you can never discount,” he said. “His track record is phenomenal, and sometimes maybe taking a break is also good to evaluate what’s important for you and re-find your motivation.”