Toto Wolff explains Mercedes’ decision to give up “sporting advantage” to F1 rivals

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell did just enough to ensure Mercedes would beat F1 rivals Ferrari to second place in the championship, but that success came at a cost

Toto Wolff has provided an explanation for why his Mercedes team sacrificed everything to defeat Ferrari and secure second place in the championship, even though doing so gave their opponents an advantage.

Very early in the 2023 season, it was evident that Red Bull was a class apart. Despite the fact that the runners-up position was all that Mercedes and Ferrari had to aim for this year, that was it.

In the end, it was the Silver Arrows who came out on top. They outscored their Italian rivals by just three points in the end, George Russell doing enough in a tense Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale to stop Charles Leclerc closing the gap further.

Securing second spot ensured more prize money for Mercedes, while the importance of bragging rights cannot be underestimated. But, on the flip side, Ferrari will be better off in 2024 for losing that duel.

F1 rules mean the amount of wind tunnel time allotted per year is calculated for each team depending on their positions in the standings. Those who finish further down the leaderboard are given more testing time to be able to make improvements to their cars.

So Ferrari will be better off than Mercedes in that regard next term. But, when questioned about that situation by a fan, team principal Wolff explained why his team still gave everything to snatch second place from their rivals.

“That’s a very good question because it’s not one-dimensional,” he said in a video released by the team. “From a mindset perspective, if you would have asked me at the beginning of the season, I would have said it’s not very relevant whether we finish P2 or P3.

“The sporting advantage is that you have more wind tunnel time for next year. But then there is a financial component for all our staff in terms of bonus. I need to look after everyone together with my senior management. And therefore, it is a very important component, even though maybe from the sporting side, it is not so relevant.

“It felt fantastic to have placed second in the world championship that evening [in Abu Dhabi]. That was not a feeling I was anticipating. There was a noticeable increase in team spirit and emotion, and that was significant.

“I never gave P2 and P3 much thought—we naturally want to get to P1—but completing P2 was crucial for the team’s morale and emotional well-being. That was a happy occasion.”