Lewis Hamilton parked up with an influence unit failure, the reason for which is but to be decided, on lap 15 of a race received by Carlos Sainz after Max Verstappen retired with an early brake fireplace.
In the meantime, George Russell worn out two laps from the flag – believing his automotive to be unsettled by Fernando Alonso instantly forward. The Spaniard was finally penalised by 20 seconds for altering his driving model and slowing, which led to Russell quickly closing into his soiled air.
This got here on prime of Hamilton chasing dramatic set-up modifications to tame dealing with instability after he and Russell ran off observe in apply. Plus, Hamilton was eradicated in Q2. The pair finally lined up on the grid in seventh and eleventh.
Given the Melbourne show throughout which Mercedes “massively lacked tempo”, Wolff reckoned he needed to ‘punch himself on the nostril’.
The Mercedes motorsport boss stated: “There have been instances within the race the place we massively lacked tempo. After which there have been instances on the finish while you evaluate like for like, we have been doing OK. Nonetheless not the place we wish to be.
“However you might see within the second stint, Fernando on the medium [tyre], we could not come anyplace shut. The lap instances appeared like a second off the McLaren’s.
“Then instantly the final [stint], once we went for it, not worrying an excessive amount of, the lap instances have been aggressive. Not [a match for] Sainz. However it was significantly better.”
Toto Wolff, Group Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
Wolff additionally cited Mercedes, which had initially occupied first and second in final 12 months’s Australian GP, having fallen behind early 2023 struggler McLaren and Ferrari.
The Austrian continued: “So clearly, we began the season within the perception that this automotive is best than it was final 12 months.
“You then take a look at final 12 months and take a look at these guys – Leclerc crashed out and Sainz was fourth and obtained relegated to outdoors of the highest 10 due to a penalty. [Now], they’re 40s forward of us.
“So, clearly on one facet, I wish to punch myself on the nostril. However on the opposite facet, additionally it is an affidavit of that while you get issues proper, you may flip it round fairly rapidly and also you simply obtained to proceed to imagine.
“However in the intervening time it is extremely, a really powerful time.”
Summarising the weekend, Wolff reckoned it was onerous to right away see any gentle on the finish of the tunnel: “Powerful to take. Tremendous powerful. I might be mendacity if I might say at any second, I really feel optimistic in regards to the state of affairs and optimistic.
“However you simply want to beat the damaging ideas and say we are going to flip this round. However in the present day it feels very, very, very brutal.”
