Toto Wolff makes key Mercedes admission ahead of Miami Grand Prix
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted the team made “too many set-up changes” in China last time out, which put them on the “back foot” for the remainder of the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton in particular had gone from a front row and podium in the Sprint to being knocked out in Q1 just a few hours later, leading him to admit that he and George Russell had split their car set-ups in the hope of finding more time within their W15s in Shanghai.
Toto Wolff: First Mercedes upgrades of 2024 coming in Miami
While Hamilton was able to make his way through the field and back into the points come the race, it was a disappointing fall for him having performed excellently in wet conditions in Sprint qualifying on the Friday.
There is a chance for Mercedes to reset this time around however, with the Miami Grand Prix also being another test of the new Sprint weekend format and two separate parc fermé periods through the weekend.
Along with Wolff’s admission about the car set-up tweaks, he also confirmed the W15 will have its first upgrades of the season placed upon it in Florida this weekend.
“We’re ready for Miami and the first US race of the year,” Wolff said.
“It is a challenging circuit and, with the second Sprint of 2024, will provide another interesting test for the team.
“We didn’t perform at our best in China, making too many set-up changes ahead of qualifying. That put us on the back foot for the rest of the weekend, although both drivers did well to bring home points.
PlanetF1.com recommends
Five big Miami GP questions: Adrian Newey future, Red Bull upgrade threat and more
F1 live stream: Watch the Miami Grand Prix with F1 TV Pro!
“We will be looking to put in a stronger showing in Miami and optimise the car.
“We know we need to add more performance and will bring our first small upgrades of the season this weekend.
“Miami is one of the busiest off-track events of the year for the team, too. We’ve already enjoyed a fantastic few days in New York with our partner WhatsApp.
“It’s great to see the growth of both their brand and F1 in the US, to such an extent that we took over the Empire State Building and held a demonstration run down Fifth Avenue.
“It highlights the impact of our sport in the USA, and we look forward to building on that growth.
“We have a full schedule of events in Florida and look forward to a positive week on and off the track.”
Mercedes head into the weekend fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, 44 points behind third-placed McLaren and 143 behind runaway leaders Red Bull.