It has been more than a year since Mercedes last won a race in F1. For a team with lofty ambitions, that simply isn’t enough and it seems as though the pressure is on team principal Toto Wolff. Several reports have pointed towards a change in leadership in Brackley, but journalist Laurence Edmondson sheds light on what is truly going on at Mercedes.
Edmonson points out that he is unsure about Wolff’s commitment to the Silver Arrows. He does acknowledge that things are getting better. However, how their 2024 car turns out to be could determine the future of a lot of people at Mercedes.
“There are a few journalists I’ve heard who have been pretty brutal about what they’ve done this year and the lack of results,” Edmondson says on the Unlapped Podcast. “And also a few people questioning Toto Wolff and whether he’s committed to Mercedes. And wants to remain there long-term and set everything right.
Imagining a Mercedes team without Toto Wolff in charge seems unfathomable for many. However, the Austrian boss is under a lot of scrutiny, especially since their fall from grace in 2022. Edmondson talks about whether Wolff will leave the team or not.
Is Toto Wolff committed to Mercedes?
According to Edmondson, Wolff wanted to join Jim Radcliffe’s consortium that aimed to buy English soccer club Manchester United. This cast a doubt in a lot of people’s minds regarding how long Wolff actually wanted to be in charge of Mercedes.
Answering the questions regarding Wolff’s commitment, Edmondson insists that there is no reason to believe that he will leave in the near future. However, the fact that these doubts are creeping in, in addition to Mercedes’ poor on-track performance is a clear indicator that things aren’t running smoothly in the German team.
Wolff and Mercedes now head into the Las Vegas GP weekend coming on the back of what has arguably been their worst-ever performance in recent years. In Sao Paolo two weeks ago, the team left with just four points.
Hamilton finished P8 despite starting fifth and Russell retired due to a mechanical failure. The team will want their outing in Vegas to go much more smoothly, as they look to hold Ferrari off to finish P2 in the constructors’ standings.
