Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has come under fire this season on various occasions because of his team’s subpar start in the 2023 season. Even though the Silver Arrows have moved up to second in the Constructors Championship after an outstanding Spanish GP, they are still way off the pace of leaders Red Bull.
As a result of Mercedes’ struggles, a deranged F1 expert has gone to the extent of stating that Wolff would have gotten fired by now if he did not have a major share in the team. And it’s not just this expert who has questioned Wolff, but also one of his former drivers, Nico Rosberg.
After the Spanish GP, the German expressed his concerns at Wolff’s inability to spot talent. While speaking to Sky Sports F1 (as quoted by formula1news.co.uk), Rosberg said, “Strange that they haven’t been a little bit more active there [in poaching talent].”
And it is not just Mercedes’ struggles in poaching talent that is seemingly causing troubles in the team’s camp, but also the uncertainty surrounding the future of their drivers. Although Wolff has said that the team is in the final stages of extending Hamilton’s current deal, there is still uncertainty surrounding the same.
Amidst all the struggles that the team is facing, an expert columnist from Business F1, Lewis Webster, has claimed that Wolff is only making things worse for Mercedes.
Wolff and Mercedes’ success is a thing of the past: Business F1 columnist
On seeing the recent track record of Mercedes, Webster from Business F1 believes that the team’s success under the leadership of Toto Wolff is a thing of the past now. He does not believe that the Silver Arrows have shown sufficient signs that they could replicate a similar level of success in the future.
The columnist explains his point by stating that it was only when Wolff and Niki Lauda worked together ten years ago, that things worked out. And that now Mercedes is on track for a prolonged slump. This is why he believes that if Wolff did not hold the 33% stake in the team, he would have been history by now.
Webster’s criticism of Wolff was far from over as he added, “Everything he does, and everything he says tells me that Wolff has lost the plot and does not have a clue how to fix the problems of the team.” The columnist further pointed out how the hiring of Mercedes has not been good either.
The Silver Arrows recently signed Jayne Poole(former Red Bull COO) as a special advisor. Webster believes that although she has been hired to help Mercedes track talent from Red Bull, it will not help the Silver Arrows address their existing struggles.
After slamming the hiring of Mercedes, the F1 expert also had a suggestion for Wolff. He believes that the Austrian should “put foolish toys aside” in his Monte Carlo apartment and return to Brackley.
And after leaving no stone unturned in slamming Wolff, Webster ended his remarks by stating a famous quote from Lauda. He said that Wolff should learn from Lauda, who once said, “From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks, conclusions can be drawn.”
Will Toto Wolff follow Christian Horner’s lead?
Following Toto Wolff’s recent struggles, Business F1 also reported that Wolff is under immense pressure to move to Brackley. The magazine also drew parallels between Wolff and Horner by stating that while Wolff stays in Monaco and occasionally visits the Brackley factory, his rival Christian Horner spends four times as many days in a year in Milton Keynes as he stays in Oxfordshire.
However, if Wolff takes such a step, it would reportedly cost him a whopping $10,000,000 a year in additional personal tax. It is perhaps this reason why the 51-year-old continues to stay in Monaco.
And it is not just Horner, but Lauda also used to visit the factory frequently. Witnessing the successes of Red Bull, Business F1 claimed that absolute commitment is required from Wolff to revamp Mercedes.
