The Boston Celtics stand tall as an exemplary force within the NBA, their glorious dynasty marked by a host of impressive achievements. On a similar tangent, Mercedes F1 boasts its own dominance, not necessarily reigning as the ultimate victors in the sport, yet certainly exerting significant authority over a considerable portion of the sport’s recent history.
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The Celtics, currently in the war zone with Miami Heat, face the possibility of adding a record-breaking 18th banner at The Garden. However, it is not Jayson Tatum and his team that faces friendly fire from Toto Wolff, the CEO and mastermind behind Mercedes F1; it is Bill Russell’s legacy.
Mercedes trailblazed to the throne of the turbo-hybrid era in F1, claiming 8 consecutive championships and emerged as an unstoppable force in the sport, owing to Wolff and his team. Meanwhile, in the NBA, Red Auerbach coached his team to send shivers down the spines of their rivals. Yet Wolff couldn’t resist a subtle jab at the team who narrowly missed matching his own remarkable feats.
Mercedes boss man calls out Boston Celtics shortcomings
The Celtics are arguably the most successful franchise in any sport, with 17 championships to their name. Auerbach’s Celtics’ feat of 8 back to back titles was a great exploit. However, Wolff belittles the team.
In a recent conference at Geneva, Wolff boasted his 8-title streak. “We are super proud of our historic record because it was eight consecutive world championships, and that hasn’t been done in any other sport. Now, Americans say that the Boston Celtics did it too. But, what I say: ‘That’s just a regional championship, right?'”
Pausing for laughter, Wolff then added, “With a pinch of salt, obviously.” The Celtics streak would’ve been longer. Auberbach guided The Green to their first title in 1957. However, they stumbled in the 1958 NBA finals against the Hawks before embarking on their title-winning spree from 1959 to 1966.
In Celtics’ history, these eight championships are a mere fraction of the remarkable tally of seventeen. Further, this feat included a period where they secured eleven of those titles in thirteen seasons. When juxtaposed to Mercedes’ eight-year reign that ground to a halt in 2022, such a comparison seems blasphemous.
Toto Wolff explains the end of Mercedes era
The eight championships led by Wolff and his star player Lewis Hamilton made for one of the most dominant eras in F1. With unmatched speed, the Silver Arrows enjoyed a comfortable spot above the rest of the grid.
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Wolff looks back at this now-bygone feeling. “Winning eight in a row was, so far, a real journey… the aim of the competition is to have a balanced field so regulations work against you. If you dominate, they’re going to come up with a new regulation in order to break your streak.”
As dynasties rise and fall, there is one thing for certain: greatness never ends. Take the Celtics, for example. Jayson Tatum has set the scene for another title for the team. At Mercedes, Hamilton has far from given up on the dream of lifting the championship trophy for the eighth time. Greatness never ends.
