Mercedes: For Toto Wolff, “competition is enemy No. 1”

Since the beginning of the season, Mercedes has outrageously dominated its competitors. The star-branded team has won four races in four Grand Prix with as many pole positions and fastest laps in the race. The gap is so large that the German team allows its two drivers to fight in the race. The highlight was the Bahrain race, considered one of the best in recent years.

Wolff considering a return to team orders if…

This battle was therefore made possible thanks to the absence of team orders at Mercedes. However, if we are to believe Toto Wolff, the team’s director, this situation might not last if other teams get too close. He told the BBC that: « There are situations where you can’t afford to lose much time with an internal fight if you have an opponent right behind you. In Bahrain, the situation was very particular because our package worked very well and we had a big advantage, so it’s easier to make a race-favorable decision because you know you have a big margin over the third. The smaller this margin becomes, the more you have to be careful. »

Mercedes is willing to let its drivers fight as long as it is not to the detriment of the team’s best interest. He reminds: « Our principle is that the competition is enemy no.1, not your teammate, so there might be situations during a race where you have to take that into account, but we will see in due course. »

Hamilton dominant with “so British” composure

Regarding Mercedes’ dominance, Lewis Hamilton is wary of the competition. He observes: Ferrari made a big step forward in China. They don’t have the same pace as us, but going from ninth place in the previous race to third place in the next race is really impressive.

He believes that his team must keep working if it wants to secure the final victory: « I am sure that Renault will improve their engine for the next race, so we cannot sit idly by. We must continue to improve and that is what we will do. »

From a personal point of view, since a retirement in Australia during the first race of the season due to an engine problem, Lewis Hamilton has displayed remarkable success by securing three consecutive victories. Some are already envisioning the World Champion crown on the Englishman’s head. However, the man himself prefers to maintain his British composure, stating: « I need to keep fighting, making sure to master all the data and various settings, and trying to do a better job. »

Furthermore, he does not believe that his teammate Nico Rosberg will give up so easily. He tempers: Nico is still leading the championship and will be extremely fast in every race. There are still so many races left that we cannot predict what will happen.

Finally, he hopes that if a hierarchy were to be established between the two drivers, it would not be the result of team orders but rather the outcome of a sporting contest on the track: «We have an agreement that states we want to race against each other and I’ve never requested or demanded to be the number one. I just let my results speak for themselves. »

In conclusion, Toto Wolff’s comments suggest a fierce battle for the Silver Arrows: It will be a constant struggle throughout the season, each taking turns ahead of the other. Let the show win!