Toto Wolff: 'I want to punch myself in the nose' after disastrous Australian GP
Toto Wolff admitted he wanted to "punch himself on the nose" as Mercedes endured a "very brutal" Australian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both retiring.
The disappointing weekend
The Australian GP proved to be a weekend to forget for Mercedes.
Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 and started 7th, while Russell lined up 11th after both drivers struggled with handling issues in practice.
Their race unraveled further when Hamilton retired with a power unit failure on lap 15.
The double DNF
George Russell then crashed out just two laps from the finish while battling Fernando Alonso, who was penalized 20 seconds for his defensive driving.
Wolff cited a lack of pace, notably being "a second off the McLarens" on the medium tire stint.
Wolff's brutal assessment
Toto Wolff did not mince words in his assessment, stating he wanted to "punch himself on the nose" over Mercedes' troubles.
Despite signs of improved pace late on, he admitted it was "a very tough time" and "very, very, very brutal" to take the double DNF.
The loss of momentum
Underlining Mercedes' loss of momentum, Wolff pointed out they occupied 1st and 2nd in last year's Australian GP.
Yet in 2023, they fell behind early-season strugglers McLaren and Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz winning and Leclerc nearly 40 seconds ahead before crashing.
Seeking positives
While struggling to be optimistic immediately, Wolff stressed the importance of overcoming "negative thoughts" and believing they can "turn this around."
However, he conceded it was "tough to take" and hard to see
"light at the end of the tunnel"
based on their Melbourne display.
Mercedes' lack of pace and recurring handling woes raise serious questions about their overall car concept and ability to join the front-running battle consistently.
With key rivals appearing to have made strides, Mercedes may need to go back to the drawing board philosophically to regain their competitive edge.
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