Despite the Mercedes team’s recent struggles, Toto Wolff remains steadfast in his commitment to leading the manufacture’s F1 programme, insisting he has no intention of withdrawing from his daily involvement with the Brackley squad.
Wolff has been with the team for over a decade, initially joining as an executive director and team principal and acquiring a 30% stake before becoming a one-third equal partner alongside INEOS and Daimler AG.
The Austrian’s leadership has been instrumental in Mercedes' unprecedented success, overseeing eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles.
However, the introduction of new aerodynamic regulations in 2022 has thrown the team off balance, resulting in just one race victory in the past two seasons and a significant decline in overall performance.
Despite these challenges, Wolff remains confident in his ability to guide Mercedes back to the top of the F1 grid.
He acknowledges the difficulty of the past two seasons, stating that he has been "hammering himself" and constantly questioning his contribution.
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However, he is determined to learn from these setbacks and rebuild the team's competitiveness.
“I still think that I can contribute to the team in my area of expertise,” he told the media at the end of last year, according to Speedcafe.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t found someone who I would say has more energy, more drive, more skill, all of these factors that I believe are important to be the team principal and CEO.”
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Wolff's passion for Mercedes and F1 is undeniable. He has poured his heart and soul into the team, pushing for excellence and innovation.
While the recent challenges have been significant, Wolff's experience, determination, and unwavering belief in the team's potential suggest that Mercedes is in good hands as it navigates this period of transition.
However, should Mercedes ever endure a prolonged period of mediocrity he wouldn’t hesitate to step aside, having witnessed in the past two prominent examples of teams that have fallen into such a state.
“We’ve seen situations when a team principal is no more at his best,” commented Wolff. “I think about Ron Dennis or Frank Williams – you don’t want to hold on to it.
“In 2012, I was eager to be the team principal of Williams, and we did it together. My title was the executive director. I forced it, in a way, because I said to Frank, ‘I want to run this and I respect you’.
“I feel I will never be in that situation. I’m always on the lookout of what is the organisational structure of the future. Maybe it’s different. Maybe there’s no team principal or CEO.
“We are a vast organisation. As the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, I’m responsible for two-and-a-half-thousand people – all of the engine side, the chassis side, and all of the other programmes in Mercedes.”
The team's recent struggles have highlighted the dynamic nature of Formula 1, where even the most dominant teams can face periods of adversity.
However, Wolff says the timing of his departure from the F1 paddock is unlikely to be determined by whatever cycle – good or bad – his team will happen to be in.
“I’m an owner of the team, so I look at it with the perspective of the next 20 years,” he said.
“I would like to be fighting for championships. Whenever I feel the moment is right that we change the leadership, I wouldn’t mind whether it’s good or bad.
“I think I’m doing this together with many other people. This is, for me, not like being a coach or manager or trainer in saying, ‘I want to go out on a high and leave a legacy’.
“This is my thinking, I’m not going anywhere. I hope that we’re winning many, many more, but I don’t feel any entitlement.”
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