Mercedes’ Toto Wolff Applauds Lewis Hamilton’s Resilience Amidst Tough F1 Start
Despite a challenging start to the F1 2024 season for Mercedes, team principal Toto Wolff commended Lewis Hamilton’s unwavering mentality and dedication amidst the adversity.
While rival teams like Red Bull and Ferrari have surged ahead, Mercedes finds themselves grappling with setbacks, falling short of their ambitious goal to challenge for the top spot.
Reflecting on the season’s ambition, Wolff acknowledged Mercedes’ aspiration to elevate their standing in the pecking order and vie for supremacy against Red Bull.
However, early setbacks have hindered their progress, with Mercedes yet to secure a podium finish higher than George Russell’s P5 in Bahrain.
Amidst these trials, Hamilton’s performance has come under scrutiny, especially as he prepares to transition to Ferrari in 2025.
Despite this, Wolff expressed confidence in Hamilton’s abilities, emphasizing his unrivaled talent and commitment to the team’s cause.
“Lewis is as good as you can be,” stated Wolff, highlighting Hamilton’s resilience in the face of adversity. While frustrations may linger, Hamilton remains focused on overcoming challenges and steering Mercedes back on course.
“He’s in a situation obviously where, on one side it’s super frustrating to see that we are not getting it, on the other side, look over the fence and it’s pretty good what’s happening there.
“But that is not his main priority today and George is just a fighter and is digging in and he knows that’s his place, so we’ve got to sort this out.”
Acknowledging the disappointing start to the season, Hamilton admitted to facing his “worst start” ever.
However, he maintained a positive outlook, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to compete and optimism for the team’s future prospects.
“I mean, this is the worst start to season I’ve ever had,” he acknowledged to the media in Melbourne.
“Surprisingly, I feel pretty good. I’m trying to keep things in perspective, you know, this like, could be so much worse.
“I’m really grateful. I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Australia, I’m still enjoying working with a team. Of course, I’d love to be fighting for wins and actually finishing races.
“It’s never a great feeling when you come all this way, and you don’t see even half of the race, but what I know is that we will bounce back, we will eventually get there, we just have to continue to chip away.”
With just eight points to his name after three rounds, Hamilton remains determined to bounce back and propel Mercedes towards success.
Despite the setbacks, both Hamilton and Wolff remain steadfast in their belief that perseverance and determination will ultimately lead to triumph.