Toto Wolff, Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, is resolute in his commitment to integrity and playing by the rules in the pursuit of victory, or so he claims.

As Mercedes faces the possibility of a winless season for the first time in over a decade, Wolff’s unwavering dedication to the principles of fair play and sportsmanship shines through. He insists that he would rather lose a championship than deliberately break the rules that govern Formula One. Wolff explains his stance on sportsmanship, Mercedes’ challenging 2023 season and the team’s approach to closing the gap on their main rivals, Red Bull Racing.

 

 

A challenging season for Mercedes

The 2023 Formula One season will be a challenging one for Mercedes. Known for its dominant performances in recent years, the team is facing the prospect of a winless campaign. Red Bull Racing, their main rivals, are on course for a season of victories. Mercedes attribute their struggles in part to a significant performance gap between the high and low downforce configurations of their W14 car. So far this season, Mercedes has managed just two second places, contributing to a total of five podium finishes.

 

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Taking responsibility for catching up

While Lewis Hamilton has called for the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to intervene in the sport to level the playing field, Toto Wolff takes a different view thinking his driver is wrong. He believes the responsibility for closing the gap with Red Bull lies with the teams themselves, rather than seeking regulatory changes.

Wolff claims he’s a firm believer in the principles of meritocracy and adherence to existing technical, sporting and financial regulations. He stresses that teams must strive to catch up when a rival dominates, even if it takes a long time. For Wolff, the integrity of the competition trumps any desire for scripted or manipulated results.

“As a team principal, I don’t want to jump on the bandwagon, as others have done in the past, and say we need to change the regulations because we can’t continue with the dominance of one team,” he told the media.

 

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“If a team dominates in the way Max has done with Red Bull then fair dues, this is a meritocracy.

“As long as you comply with the regulations; technical, sporting, and financial, you just need to say well done and it’s up to us to catch up. If that takes a long time then it takes a long time.

“I remember people crying foul when it was us. Entertainment follows sport and not the other way around. We can’t be WWE, with scripted content. We don’t want to be scripted content.”

 

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Maintaining a high standard of integrity

Toto Wolff is unequivocal about maintaining the highest standards of integrity in Formula One. He insists that these standards are not just words on a PowerPoint presentation, but must be upheld on a daily basis, in victory and defeat.

Mercedes’ success, according to Wolff, is rooted in a culture of no blame. He reiterates that he would rather sacrifice a championship than deliberately break the rules, underlining the importance of reputation and integrity in sport. Wolff’s vision extends beyond individual championships; he wants Mercedes to be judged favourably over two decades, based on factors such as loyalty and ethical behaviour.

 

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 Mercedes’ unwavering commitment to integrity

It is up to the reader to decide if Toto Wolff’s unwavering commitment to integrity and the rules of Formula One exemplifies the core values of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, or it is a great excuse to explain why the team is failing.

In the face of a challenging season and a dominant rival in Red Bull whose achievements have been questioned in terms of ‘fairness’, Wolff remains steadfast in his rhetoric of meritocracy and the spirit of fair competition.

“I think the interesting part of the journey is that you’re putting these words on a PowerPoint, but you need to live by the standards every day, whether you win or whether you lose,” he said.

 

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“And we’ve had challenging moments. I think a reason why we won was no blame culture.

“I would give up a championship before I break the rules in an intentional way because reputation and integrity are all today.

“I don’t want to be judged by a championship or two. I want the team to be judged after 20 years for whether we’ve done more things right or wrong, loyalty, we’ve not lost many people.

“And it needs to start by myself, not blaming someone rather than blaming the process. So I think as a team we’ve done pretty well.”

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Mercedes’ pursuit of Red Bull Racing is not only about winning championships but also about upholding a legacy of ethical behaviour, loyalty and integrity that will endure for years to come. That is how Wolff wants us to remember him by.

 

 

Sainz 🆚 Verstappen

Carlos didn't put a foot wrong at the start 👌#ItalianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/SBif71hP6y

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 7, 2023