Toto Wolff still has a feeling of frustration that no racing was possible in last Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, but he knows the conditions at Spa-Francorchamps were just not safe enough for the race to get underway.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team lost ground in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in Belgium as Max Verstappen was handed the victory, despite the race being run completely behind the safety car. The one saving grace was only half points were awarded, meaning Verstappen took only twelve and a half points as opposed to the usual twenty-five points.
Lewis Hamilton saw his Drivers’ Championship lead reduced to just three points, while Mercedes are now only seven points ahead of Red Bull Racing in the Constructors’ Championship. Valtteri Bottas failed to score in Belgium after the grid penalty from Hungary relegated him outside the top ten at the start, and the lack of green flag running ended his chance of progression.
“There’s still a feeling of frustration that we couldn’t race in Belgium last weekend,” said Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes and the Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “We’ve never seen a situation like this, and the conditions were incredibly difficult out there, so it was just not safe to race.
“If the weather had eased up, I think we would have been in for an incredible race for all the passionate and dedicated fans who were waiting in the rain. So, it isn’t a satisfying feeling to leave Belgium with just a handful of laps behind the Safety Car, but it is what it is. We need to close that chapter and quickly move our focus to the next one.
“We lost points in both Championships last weekend but thankfully, we don’t have long to wait for an opportunity to extend those gaps, and that is an exciting prospect.”
This weekend sees the return of the Dutch Grand Prix to the Formula 1 calendar for the first time since 1985, and Wolff says the team are excited for the challenge ahead of them. He is hoping Mercedes can hit the ground running and bring home the race victory on Sunday afternoon.
“F1 returns to Zandvoort this weekend for the first time in several decades,” said Wolff. “It’s an exciting track for the drivers because it is fast and flowing. It feels like a proper old-school track, so I am sure they are looking forward to taking on that challenge.
“As a team, we’re relishing the challenge of tackling a new track, because it is new for everyone and that means fresh opportunities to find advantage. So we’ll be looking to hit the ground running on Friday and take the fight to our competitors.
“It will be exciting to see who comes out on top.”