Mercedes boss Toto Wolff explains the inconsistent and unpredictable nature of new generation of cars

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that the performance curve of the new generation F1 cars can be quite inconsistent. The Austrian team's principal claims that the cars can vary from session to session.

Asked by Sportskeeda about the inconsistent development curve of the new generation cars, the Mercedes chief said:

“I think it swings between drivers saying that the car was really in a nice place, that it was great in balance, and then you go into the next session, not even the next race, and the car is really, because those aero regulations are just on the knife’s edge. If you are in the right spot, you have the confidence, the car has performance, and if you undershoot or overshoot, that is not pleasant to drive.”

Speaking to Sportskeeda in Hungary, Wolff explained that getting the cars to operate with the right balance can be dicey from team to team. The Mercedes team boss feels that the new aerodynamic regulations that have been in effect since 2022 can make or break the confidence level in the car.

He thinks the momentum swings, where a driver can be confident in one session and not in another. In Hungary, the disparities were more evident between various cars in various sessions.

---

Mercedes boss believes the team put their drivers into bad positions in qualifying

F1 Grand Prix of Hungary

Referring to the traffic that his team's drivers were released into during qualifying, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff felt they could have strategised the first two qualifying sessions better.

The Austrian felt that their first two sessions were jeopardised by traffic which resulted in the contrasting qualifications for their two drivers. Lewis Hamilton was on pole, but George Russell was knocked out of the qualifying and was 18th.

Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda, prior to the Hungarian GP, the Mercedes Executive Director reflected upon the qualifying session, saying:

“Yeah, I think the Q1 was overall messy, not only for us but many other teams. So many cars are on the same piece of track and we just [had] them in the wrong position. The first one was already compromised and then obviously everyone bunching up in the last corner, that was far from ideal and we know that. And then there is no connect any more between the two drivers because he was overtaken by three cars between turn 13 and 14, and that completely screws the last lap.

"But we need to take it on us that we have not put them in a better position. On the positive side, clearly with our package, that was competitive and Lewis just drove an amazing lap and put it on pole. I think that’s something we can really be proud of.”

Wolff felt the Mercedes W14 was competitive around the Hungaroring and Hamilton drove a lap worth being proud of. While the Briton was unable to convert the pole into a win and got outperformed by the Red Bull drivers and the McLarens, he has inched closer in the driver’s standings.

This allows him to be able to snatch third place from Fernando Alonso. He eventually finished fourth in the 2023 Hungarian GP and the Spaniard finished ninth.