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Mercedes Reflects on Transition as Hamilton Begins Ferrari Era

Toto Wolff, the principal of Mercedes, expressed a mixture of nostalgia and competitive spirit following the Australian Grand Prix, emphasizing his ongoing connection with Lewis Hamilton now that Hamilton has transitioned to Ferrari. After 12 successful seasons with Mercedes, a period during which Hamilton secured six out of his seven world titles, the Briton’s departure marks a significant shift in the team’s dynamic.

In an effort to fill the gap left by Hamilton, Mercedes brought in Italian teenage talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli to team up with George Russell. Their performance in the season opener was commendable, with Antonelli finishing in third place and Russell closely following at fourth.

“During the race, I felt like we had three drivers,” Wolff remarked, referring to the three-letter abbreviations used for each driver on the timing screens—RUS, ANT, and HAM. He went on to acknowledge the striking reality that Hamilton was now competing with a rival team, stating, “It’s a bit surreal since HAM is now with Ferrari.’

Hamilton faced a challenging debut weekend with his new team, qualifying in eighth position and ultimately finishing in tenth, as Ferrari struggled to find competitive pace on the circuit.

Wolff commented on the emotional weight of Hamilton’s departure, saying, “It has been a long time, and it’s natural to still be concerned about how he’s performing; however, on the track, he is now our rival and we need to focus on beating him.”

Mercedes’ Path to Performance Improvement

Mercedes has faced difficulties since the implementation of new design regulations in 2022. Despite appearing to have made strides in their performance this season compared to the past three years, Wolff acknowledged the need for substantial improvements to contend with top teams like McLaren, who claimed victory in Melbourne with Lando Norris behind the wheel.

“This was a solid opening weekend, but we have to view it critically. McLaren’s pace is impressively strong,” Wolff noted. He emphasized that to genuinely compete for wins and the championship, Mercedes must identify and address key performance gaps.

A particular area of concern for Wolff is the team’s ability to manage tyre performance effectively. He highlighted that McLaren, along with Red Bull—who secured a second-place finish with Max Verstappen—has an advantage in maintaining their tyres within optimal operating conditions, enabling them to achieve faster lap times. He stated, “We need to improve our tyre management. At the moment, we are experiencing excessive degradation because our tyres are overheating.”

Looking ahead, Wolff expressed a desire for the team to close the gap to their competitors, emphasizing the need for continuous development and adaptation as the season progresses.

Upcoming Races and Challenges

Thursday, March 20

5am: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday, March 21

1am: F1 Academy Practice

3am: Chinese GP Practice One (session starts at 3.30am)

5.30am: Team Principals’ Press Conference

6am: F1 Academy Qualifying

6.45am: Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 7.30am)

Saturday, March 22

2.25am: Chinese GP Sprint build-up

3am: Chinese GP Sprint

5.45am: F1 Academy Race 1

6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifying build-up

7am: CHINESE GP QUALIFYING

9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday, March 23

2.40am: F1 Academy Race 2

5.30am: Chinese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday

7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

9am: Chinese GP reaction: Chequered flag

10am: Ted’s Notebook

*All times are subject to change and are displayed in local time.

The Formula 1 series now heads to Shanghai for its first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, which can be viewed live on Sky Sports F1.

Source
www.skysports.com