Mercedes AMG F1: Hamilton-Rosberg is different from Senna-Prost
Despite the dominance of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in the 2014 Formula 1 Championship, Toto Wolff believes it is not possible to compare it with the domination of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren-Honda in 1988-1989.
Similar to what happened in 1988-1989, Rosberg and Hamilton at Mercedes are dominating the start of the season just like Senna and Prost during the McLaren-Honda era. However, the executive director of the star firm, Toto Wolff, finds the comparison flattering when he states on his team’s official website: “There have been a lot of comparisons with the Senna/Prost scenario, which is a form of compliment for Nico and Lewis, but the current situation is very different.”
He specifies that the entire difference lies in how Mercedes manages the situation. He says: « The racing philosophy of Mercedes-Benz is to allow our drivers to fight: let the boys have fun with their toys, unless they break them. »
Toto Wolff readily admits that this state of affairs can be stressful: « Of course, it can be quite tense when they race so hard, but this intensity is normal: they are both competitive guys fighting for a World Championship. »
But the team’s interest must come before everything else. He emphasizes that the drivers know that we will not tolerate any incidents. He adds: A lot has been said about their personal relationship, and it’s not the key to a successful campaign: the drivers must work with and for the team above all.
Finally, Wolff reassures about material equality between the two drivers by stating: « They have a competitive car with exactly the same strengths and weaknesses, so they have to fight for every little advantage whenever they can. »
Let’s hope for the Mercedes AMG F1 manager that Rosberg and Hamilton prove to be wiser than their illustrious predecessors Senna and Prost in their time. Nothing is less certain.
