“$1 Billion Mercedes screwed up in several areas” – Toto Wolff gives up hope of victory despite podium finish at the French GP

Samriddhi Jaiswal | 27/07/2022
"$1 Billion Mercedes screwed up in several areas" - Toto Wolff gives up hope of victory despite podium finish at the French GP

While the Mercedes finished on the podium at the French Grand Prix, Toto Wolff remained disappointed by the performance.

Mercedes expected to return to the top at the French GP following the improvements in the British Grand Prix. Despite scoring a double podium finish, team boss Toto Wolff remained disappointed.

Wolff admitted that years of dominance in motorsport made them unprepared to face potential hurdles that might occur one day.

The Brackley-based team were struggling to find pace in the W13 at Circuit Paul Ricard. Wolff therefore no longer thinks that a win is still on the table for the team.

Speaking to AFP after the French GP, the Austrian boss said, “before Paul Ricard, I would have said yes, now we wonder why we are a second behind Max Verstappen and six tenths behind Ferrari. We have a long way to go to be able to dream of victories.”

Wolff said that in F1 lap times never lie and given the data that the team has now, it became clear in France that Mercedes are not fast.

Giving up all hope on the chances to score a win or improve, 8-time constructors’ champions boss said, “We screwed up mechanically, we screwed up aerodynamically, it’s never just one thing.”

Also Read: Stats show Red Bull star most likely to win even if $12 million-a-year driver qualifies on pole position

Toto Wolff picks his favourite in the 2022 title battle

After eight years of dominance in motorsport, Mercedes now seems to have taken a back seat in the championship battle.

Wolff is not focusing on the battle between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc ahead of the Mercedes team. In doing so, the Austrian boss has picked his favourite in the championship battle.

He said, “Charles is an exceptional driver, a great personality, he deserves to win. I don’t know if it does him any good but if I could choose it would be him.”

Also Read: When Lewis Hamilton kept his promise to Valtteri Bottas at the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix

Post Edited By: Samriddhi Jaiswal
Mercedes Toto Wolff

About the author

Samriddhi Jaiswal

Samriddhi Jaiswal is an F1 editor and writer at The SportsRush. She started her career as a business journalist but soon found her calling in lights out here we go! Samriddhi has been a Ferrari fan even when her interaction with F1 was occasional. Her first real experience with the thrilling sport came when Charles Leclerc clinched his iconic victory in Spa and Monza and painted the track red. Now, a Tifosi, Samriddhi is a hardcore fan of the prancing horse and can relate to the chaos within the Italian camp and also admires Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Off the track, she finds her home in books and musical instruments.

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