Even though Mercedes only clinched 18 points at the United States Grand Prix last weekend, they took away several positives from the race. Only if Lewis Hamilton was not disqualified during the race, the Silver Arrows could have taken the second most points from the race in Austin. Since Mercedes had a strong showing until that point, team principal Toto Wolff believes that his side can take these positives going into the 2024 season.
Wolff explained his point by making a reference to how the Austin track is similar to that of the Suzuka circuit. The 51-year-old believes that he is optimistic about Mercedes’ future ahead as his side struggled in Japan earlier this year, but demonstrated a good pace at the United States GP. As a result of such an improvement in pace with the latest upgrades, Wolff is hopeful that Mercedes can now carry on this form into the 2024 season.
Toto Wolff explains why Mercedes should be happy with their performance in Austin
When asked about how Mercedes performed at the United States Grand Prix, Toto Wolff told Autosport about why his side had a satisfying performance at Austin. “When I look back at the Esses [in Japan], we were slow. Here, it was our best sector. So overall we need to be pleased,” explained the Austrian.
Mercedes were indeed quite strong at the US GP as they almost won it. Even though Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in second and was eventually disqualified from the race, he and Mercedes did ensure that they kept Max Verstappen and Red Bull on their toes throughout the race.
Lewis Hamilton lost out on second due to a technical infringement
Following the conclusion of the United States GP, the FIA carried out a plank wear inspection. Following their investigation, they determined that the skids on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s cars did not meet the technical regulations. As a result, both drivers were disqualified from the race.
Hamilton lost out on second while Leclerc lost out on sixth. As per formula1.com, even though both teams sent a representative to speak to the stewards about how the bumpy track of Austin may have cost higher wear on the skid, the officials noted that it is the responsibility of the competitors to ensure that their cars comply as per the regulations at all times.
