“Scepticism and pessimism around our own performance level continue”- Toto Wolff on haunting Mercedes preparation

“Scepticism and pessimism around our own performance level continue”- Toto Wolff on Mercedes preparation that keeps them on toes.

Mercedes for the last decade has been the dominant force in Formula 1. Still, Toto Wolff explains that his team is never satisfied, as even after so many accolades, they remain sceptical and pessimistic about their outcome before the season starts.

In Wolff’s opinion, this actually has so far worked for his team, as it allows them to remain on their toes, and in the end, it usually surprises them when Mercedes rolls on the track.

“Every year, performances that are similar to the ones that we had [in 2020] come as a surprise because we are sceptical people by nature,” said Wolff, as per the Motorsport.

“That keeps us on our toes for the targets that we set ourselves, and we are always a little bit behind. In that respect, we are all pleasantly surprised when we get out of the blocks and see that we are in a good position.”

“But that scepticism and pessimism around our own performance level continue to haunt us during all of the seasons. We’re never quite sure that we make it until it’s really done. And we are not fishing for compliments here. It’s simply the attitude we have.”

No answer on why others are not doing well

Wolff was further asked why his rivals are not able to give similar results if their formula is so simplistic, to which Wolff said he doesn’t know what would be the right diagnosis of it.

“We respect our competitors, and we have great respect for the people in those teams,” he said. “I see these guys in the paddock, and I know that they’re giving it everything, in the same way, we are giving it everything.”

“I cannot really look into other organisations, and that’s why it’s complicated for me to pinpoint where their weaknesses lie or where we have advantages.”

“I know we are a good place to work, we are a fun place, but we are also a place that puts pressure on ourselves. We can strike a balance between pressure, making a pipe burst or producing a diamond. And that is something that you can’t put on a PowerPoint presentation. This is something that you need to live every day.”

“You need to empower. You need to be a safe place for the employees. You need to allow them to speak up, to make mistakes and have the right values. And all that can only be built up over time.”

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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