Toto Wolff makes Mercedes pledge to avoid Red Bull and Ferrari error

Lewis Hamilton opens up on difficult season for Mercedes

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Toto Wolff has claimed Mercedes have analysed Red Bull and Ferrari mistakes to ensure they are competitive as early as next season. Both teams enjoyed a period of dominance in F1 before dropping back and being unable to challenge for several years.

Ferrari dominated in the early 00s with Michael Schumacher securing five titles between 2000 and 2004. The Prancing Horse achieved just one other title in 2007 before 15 barren years.

Red Bull achieved similar success with Sebastian Vettel between 2010 and 2013 before having to wait eight years for Max Verstappen to win the crown in 2021. Wolff revealed the Silver Arrows had looked at both team’s errors and pledged to “be careful” to avoid a similar issue at the German manufacturer.

Wolff explained: “Of course, we are talking about it, we are analysing what are the reasons the teams that dominated in the past suddenly lost performance? You can see with Ferrari, they lost the whole top leadership and a key driver… I think that’s something you can trace back.

“With Red Bull, it was a fundamental situation that the power unit regulation changed upside down, and no works deal. So fundamental parameters changed. We are looking at that and thinking… we better be careful. A season has gone by in a heartbeat and we can’t let it happen to look back at the end of next season and the one after, saying ‘that’s bitter’.”

Mercedes were unable to challenge the leaders all season and picked up just one race win, their lowest total since 2012. The team were more competitive after fitting new upgrades ahead of the United States Grand Prix which helped Lewis Hamilton challenge at the front in Austin and Mexico City.

However, George Russell broke the team’s win drought to stand on the top step of the podium in Brazil.

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Wolff hinted the team were “back” in Abu Dhabi and even highlighted a major difference between Mercedes and their main rivals. He said: “We have the same organisation, the same capability, the same funding. The other pillars are still in place.”

Mercedes have yet to confirm whether they will stick with their 2022 design or go back to the drawing board. Technical director Mike Elliott even suggested the team could look at their rivals’ concepts when designing next year’s package.

However, Wolff has conceded the team may still be unable to fight at the sharp end in 2023. He added: “There’s no fear, but we need to be sharp.

“I’m a glass half-empty man. I’m not sure at all we can bounce back to a position where we can fight for championships. You need to acknowledge that the competition is strong but we will do everything in our power to set our objectives and try to beat them.”

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