Breaking news
Formula 1
Wolff: Mercedes achievements will mean nothing in 2021
Toto Wolff says Mercedes’ record-breaking success in Formula 1 does not buy the team “any credit” for the challenges that will arrive with the new rules from 2021.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Dec 22, 2019, 12:57 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
This season Mercedes became the first team to win six consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ world titles, having matched Ferrari’s previous record from 2000 to 2004 last year.
It also meant Mercedes remained on top through another regulation change, having maintained its dominance through the major aerodynamic shake-up of 2017 and again when the front-wing rules changed for 2019.
However, F1’s massive overhaul of all its rules for 2021, including sweeping changes on the technical side, mean Mercedes will face its biggest test.
“2021 is going to be a completely new challenge because the regs are being put upside down,” said Wolff in an end-of-season Mercedes review.
“What [exists] today in terms of aero will not exist anymore in 2021. And I believe it's an opportunity as a team to do a decent job and prove that we can go through a regulatory change and come out on top like we've done in the past.
“But certainly there is no sense of entitlement. Last year's records don't buy us any credit for future seasons to come. It's something that is very exciting for us and I personally really look forward to have 2021 coming.”
The form of six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has played a key role in Mercedes’ unprecedented success but Wolff’s leadership is also a vital factor.
Though 2021 presents a new challenge to fire up the team, Wolff will need to find a new source of motivation for 2020, when the regulations remain stable and attention may move elsewhere.
Read Also:
- Mercedes teams up with Tour de France-winning team INEOS
- How Mercedes beat Ferrari in F1’s tech race – 3D video
Sixth consecutive double title target a motivating factor
“Every single year since 2014, we have tried to set objectives that really motivate us,” said Wolff. “And 2019 the overwhelming target was to win a sixth consecutive double championship, which wasn't done before in Formula 1, and up to our knowledge wasn't done before in any other sport on a world championship level.
"So this was the target that really kept us going. Also on the difficult days helped us to push through the weekends that didn't run in the way we've expected. It's something that really kept us energised over the whole year.”
Wolff said he was impressed by how Mercedes reacted to those “difficult days” as a team.
“You can very much feel the difference in the mood in the factory after bad weekend, or good weekend,” he said. “But the surprising fact is that I feel such a strong buzz in the factories after the difficult weekends.
“It's the days where we failed that we feel that we need to push even more and work smart and intelligently and I enjoy that coming back on Monday and leave no stone unturned, uncover our shortfalls, and then eventually rise again.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Top Stories of 2019, #11: Vettel's Canadian GP debacle
Next article Honda asked for concerns over two-team supply
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Mercedes
"Exhausted" George Russell set for Brazilian F1 grid penalty
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
"Exhausted" George Russell set for Brazilian F1 grid penalty
Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
4 h
Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”
Latest news
"Unacceptable downshifts" – Max Verstappen explains what's behind a recurring F1 radio complaint
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
17 min
"Unacceptable downshifts" – Max Verstappen explains what's behind a recurring F1 radio complaint
MotoGP Qatar GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio fastest in Practice; Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez make the cut
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
17 min
MotoGP Qatar GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio fastest in Practice; Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez make the cut
Colton Herta qualifies for F1 superlicence as Valtteri Bottas remains bullish on 2027 seat
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
50 min
Colton Herta qualifies for F1 superlicence as Valtteri Bottas remains bullish on 2027 seat
F1 Brazilian GP: Lando Norris tops FP1 as Colton Herta clinches superlicence
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
F1 Brazilian GP: Lando Norris tops FP1 as Colton Herta clinches superlicence
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe