Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton talking
Toto Wolff admits there was a “miscommunication” from the Mercedes pitwall to Lewis Hamilton with the team failing to tell him his out-lap was critical in Monaco.
Hamilton, who had initially started in seventh position, made an in-race pit stop along with a handful of other drivers in an effort to secure at least one place in the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix procession.
Toto Wolff: That was a miscommunication
Additional reporting by Sam Cooper
In from seventh place, he came back out in P7 only for Max Verstappen, the driver who Mercedes had hoped to undercut, to stop the very next lap.
However, in contrast to Hamilton, Verstappen exerted immense pressure during his in-lap, enabling him to rejoin the race track while still maintaining a lead over the Mercedes driver.
Hamilton expressed his disappointment, asking over the radio, “Why didn’t you inform me about the significance of the out-lap?”
Wolff acknowledges that there was a miscommunication on Mercedes’ part.
“He explained to the media, including PlanetF1.com, that there was a miscommunication between us on the pitwall, resulting in an incorrect decision. It should have been emphasized as an ‘out-lap critical’ strategy, attempting to undercut.”
However, a debate ensued regarding whether the new tyre’s out-lap would suffice. Consequently, the message he received was, at best, perplexing and likely incorrect.
The concern in the background was that if we pushed that tire to its limits in a single lap, it would become a critical factor during subsequent laps.
To sum it up, the team was at fault for sending the wrong message to Lewis.
He stated, “Our plan was to stay near Verstappen and execute the undercut strategy. Unfortunately, our messaging was completely inaccurate.”
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Toto Wolff: Balance it right and be transparent and fair
Despite receiving radio messages, Hamilton expressed his dissatisfaction with Saturday’s qualifying session. The British driver admitted his surprise at losing to George Russell, who was using Mercedes’ new front wing despite previously driving for Williams.
The upcoming ex-Mercedes driver expressed, “I don’t expect to outperform George in qualifying, especially this year. However, we must continue to push ourselves and excel in the races.”
When questioned about the reason, he responded with a smile, saying, “Let’s wait and see.”
But while former W Series racer Naomi Schiff alluded to Hamilton being “the driver who is not favoured” given his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari, Wolff insisted Mercedes’ only goal is to “maximise” their results.
When questioned about the current status of the relationship between Mercedes and Hamilton, Wolff responded by saying that they are making an effort to make the most out of their partnership and achieve the best possible outcomes in what will be their last season together.
“Occasionally, tensions arise between drivers and teams due to the shared desire for excellence.”
As a team, we have consistently shown our ability to maintain a fair and transparent balance even during intense competitions among teammates.
As a driver, I comprehend the desire to bring out the best in oneself and the team. In challenging situations where things do not go as planned, it’s natural to have moments of doubt.
However, as a team, our mission is to provide both drivers with the best possible cars, strategies, and support without any compromise.
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