2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Spoutnik]

They might have listen to George inputs which gave us the W14
Who knows

[Cs98]

Another driver is the least of this team's problem, they need fresh leadership with fresh energy. An era is officially over, leadership needs to change otherwise the team will feel the troubles of McLaren when Dennis refused to budge after Lewis left. Reminder - it took them 9 years and two hothead WDC contenders to clash so they could win again and are still waiting for another win on merit.

I agree to be honest. The cracks started to appear in 2021 and they got larger over the last 2 years. High profile staff leaving, stupid radio messages from drivers and staff, and having 2 years of a car that’s competing at midfield level. What the W15 brings after they owned their problems is yet to be seen.
I really do think toto will look to step down or sell up in the next year or 2.

I think he will double down. He's not a folder. There's much more to Mercedes than just the Hamilton show, this is their time to prove that. I think it will ignite them to prove it was a bad idea to leave that team.

[Miha_v]

Ocon, Gasly, Sainz, and Albon are just mid-drivers with no surprise element. If they go to one of them, that means Merc would be a mid-team for years to come.

I bet Toto already has someone in his mind as he probably thought about this scenario when there were Lewis's retirement rumors last year.

Disagree on Albon: he's doing a fantastic job at Williams and since he came to f1 he was very fast from the very start. Red Bull throwing him in the A team (after just half year of f1 experience) was a major mistake on their part. They lost a top class youngster due to their impatience.

[mendis]

They might have listen to George inputs which gave us the W14
Who knows

OK. Then it was Lewis' inputs for W13?

[ThijsMuis]

Indeed. Toto was not even in Brackley for the meeting about Lewis leaving. Apparently he attended virtually from spain or italy (I heard Milan).

Wow, couldn't even be bothered to fly in to be there in person...

I assume you wanted Wolff to know the future?

That annual get-together was scheduled for this Wednesday at Wolff’s Oxford home – with Hamilton having been at Brackley the previous day for a seat-fitting with the 2024 car.

From Wolff’s perspective there was every reason to think that this would be a chance to hopefully draw a line over the team’s struggles for the past two seasons and get ready for what is hoped is a renewed competitive charge thanks to Mercedes’ all-new W15.

But things did not turn out as anticipated and instead, the key focal point of the meeting was Hamilton dropping the bombshell that he would be activating a release clause in his contract and had signed for Ferrari in 2025.

Almost simultaneously, Hamilton’s long-time confidante Marc Hynes, who has recently returned to a more active role in the seven-time champion’s management, had arrived at Mercedes’ Brackley factory to deliver a formal letter to the team notifying it of the situation.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how- ... 10571640/

[214270]

^ Good read by Noble.

- End of Jan decision was not significant
- Nothing outwardly that indicates displeasure with the new challenger/ design direction.

Just a fairly uncontroversial realisation that it’s the right time for a change. As far as these decisions go, it was handled professionally.

[Spoutnik]

They might have listen to George inputs which gave us the W14
Who knows

OK. Then it was Lewis' inputs for W13?

It's different to start from a blank slate than to build from weakness of a car. That's also the difference between building a good car and being outdeveloped (F1-75 say hi)

[chrisc90]

Problem also is, it’s easy for Lewis to say to his team, copy Max’s car and it’ll make me fast. It does t work like that, You need to know how the other team made that car fast and how it works in harmony.

A driver should have trust in his engineers and aero department to give him the fastest car they can possibly make.

[Spoutnik]

I don't think Lewis is stupid he knows many engineers from all those year. The reality is that RB concept is faster, and Merc concept is "meh" and the worst is that they don't even understand it yet. We could trust them if there was big/exponential gains to expect. But at this rate, this set of regulation will be over and Merc will not have figured out how to make a ground effect car fast

[Vanja #66]

I assume you wanted Wolff to know the future?

What I wanted? You lose your shining star and your biggest champion, and you can't be bothered to fly over from Europe to England to be present in person and share this with your team. To show strength and assure that everything will be good and incite new energy in your people... This way, you show that you either don't really care or you are too upset to face your team, can't say which is worse in this situation. Many people are looking at other teams' job openings after that, you can count on that.

[f1jcw]

Problem also is, it’s easy for Lewis to say to his team, copy Max’s car and it’ll make me fast. It does t work like that, You need to know how the other team made that car fast and how it works in harmony.

A driver should have trust in his engineers and aero department to give him the fastest car they can possibly make.

But you are just using your own thoughts on Merc/Lewis and projecting them into this post.
You have no idea what Lewis said to his team, you have no idea what level of engineering Lewis has, you are just speculating to post something negative.

[f1jcw]

I assume you wanted Wolff to know the future?

What I wanted? You lose your shining star and your biggest champion, and you can't be bothered to fly over from Europe to England to be present in person and share this with your team. To show strength and assure that everything will be good and incite new energy in your people... This way, you show that you either don't really care or you are too upset to face your team, can't say which is worse in this situation. Many people are looking at other teams' job openings after that, you can count on that.

Not sure I'd fly home for a 20 minute team brief either. Especially to just say something that is now a foregone conculsion. I work from home, video calling isn't really that big of a deal.

[organic]

I assume you wanted Wolff to know the future?

What I wanted? You lose your shining star and your biggest champion, and you can't be bothered to fly over from Europe to England to be present in person and share this with your team. To show strength and assure that everything will be good and incite new energy in your people... This way, you show that you either don't really care or you are too upset to face your team, can't say which is worse in this situation. Many people are looking at other teams' job openings after that, you can count on that.

I don't think it can be held against him. Reality is this:

- Lewis seat fit on 31st Jan and whilst he's in UK they have annual get-together at Wolff's house in Oxford
- Lewis breaks news of Ferrari move out of the blue to Toto face to face at his house, with his management informing Merc team officially, simultaneously, in person at Brackley with a formal letter
- Toto has a long-standing business meeting in Milan that was already scheduled so must attend. Flies out of UK 31st.
- Meeting conducted with Toto attending virtually but Allison was there in person .
- meeting concluded in less than 15mins

[organic]

Wolff is giving a media briefing right now in German and English.

Some quotes I've found

The Austrian emphasizes that they want to make the last season together with Hamilton “as successful as possible”. At the same time, he also makes it clear that the chances against Red Bull probably wouldn't be particularly good.

"Even if we don't celebrate any more successes together in 2024, that doesn't change the triumphs of the past."

Wolff: Hamilton needed a “new challenge”
The team boss also explains that he can understand Hamilton's decision. He needed a “new challenge” and a “different environment”. And it was probably his last chance at his age.

“I understand the decision,” said Wolff.

He refused to comment on Mick or Vettel. Especially said he thinks Vettel would not want to anyway

During their traditional coffee date, Lewis Hamilton informed Toto Wolff about his departure for Ferrari on Wednesday. "The timing is surprising"

On succession, Wolff did not rule out a "very bold choice"

Wolff was asked about Antonelli and he said that speculation about his future would only hurt him and that his full focus needs to be on F2

[selvam_e2002]

Mercedes need to have WDC driver in their line up to make their Brand Proud. So, I think it will be Alonso or Vettel return.

Meh. It's a bit of a unique situation at the minute with only 3 world champions on the entire grid. Very unusual due to retirements and how dominant a handful of drivers have been for so long

There is zero chance that Merc is going to have a lesser known lineup of Russell and Albon or Russell and Ocon for example. That’s a Williams lineup, not a Mercedes lineup. Merc has always had a big name in their team. It’s essential for the branding.

If they did, I would worry that Merc will fall hard back into the midfield. That’s what happens with team building around drivers who lack championship pedigree. Russell is still a loose cannon.

I Agree. so the only option they have is Alonso or Vettel if they need WDC driver line up. or Max any chance?