“We have so many good things in the pipeline” - Mercedes boss Toto Wolff optimistic about cutting down the gap to Red Bull F1

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is optimistic about challenging reigning F1 world champions Red Bull in the 2024 season with a much more competitive car.

A whole season passed by for Mercedes without registering a single win for the first time in the past decade. However, they were also the runner-up in the championships behind Red Bull. This was because of their performances in races like Spain and partly owing to Ferrari's poor start in the season.

The team's aim though is to be fighting for the world championship in the future seasons which might be possible in 2024 as Toto Wolff told Sky Sports:

"We have a gap to the leaders. But the two teams, at Brixworth and Brackley, are so motivated."

"We have so many good things in the pipeline, so many new things, and, with all the learning we had, [we are] really in a good place to see what’s coming together."

Wolff is confident that the team will carry the momentum from finishing second in the 2023 season to develop further and compete at the top for wins against Red Bull in 2024.

"[We have] got to take the momentum now from the P2 in the championship and take the momentum to the factories."

It has been speculated that Red Bull might not be able to carry the same level of domination in the following season of F1 because of the development their competitors had made later in the 2023 season. So Mercedes might have a chance at getting back to winning ways.

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Mercedes boss reveals their drivers had "no confidence" in the car

The last two seasons have been tough for Mercedes with the W13 and the W14. There has been only a single race win for the team during that time and it was mainly because of the new aerodynamic regulations introduced in F1 in the 2022 season. Ferrari and Red Bull earlier seemed to have the upper hand in the 2022 season but the latter flourished with a dominating 2023.

Toto Wolff admitted the same, saying (via Sky Sports):

"Let’s be honest, they [Red Bull] have a gap because they got well out of the blocks with the new regulations. In order to catch up, that’s a monumental endeavour."

"At a certain stage, hopefully, they level off with their development speed and we can catch up. It’s not only adding a tenth of downforce or so, our car had a fundamental problem."

Although he has the confidence for Mercedes to develop and become more competitive in the future season, Wolff admitted that both his drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had "no confidence" driving the cars.

"It’s unstable, the drivers have no confidence in the car, and if we can dial that out, then I think we can make that step forward like other teams have done."

Mercedes will be going into the 2024 season with the same driver lineup amidst expectations of a much better performance against their rivals.