Toto Wolff has confirmed that he has no plans to step away from his role as Mercedes team principal, despite his team’s struggles in 2024. The Silver Arrows are the fourth fastest team on the grid this year and tensions are rising within the organisation after Lewis Hamilton made a cryptic comment after qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Last year, Mercedes were regular contenders for spots on the podium and ultimately pipped Ferrari to second place in the Constructors’ Championship at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. 2024, however, has been a different story and the Brackley-based outfit have lost considerable ground to the Scuderia, as well as McLaren.
Speaking to the Press Association about his future, Wolff said: “I have had it in the past where suddenly you have that moment where you think there is somebody that could do this better.
“Whether that is because they have more energy, more intelligence, more knowledge, or more compassion. That day will come but, jointly. We have not identified who the next person will be.”
While Mercedes’ struggles have continued into the Monaco GP weekend, Wolff has no plans to quit as team principal. “I still love it,” he added. “Maybe one day I wake up and I don’t love it. There might be a stone falling on my head and I am not the team principal anymore. But this is the destiny I am choosing with my co-shareholders.”
Monaco qualifying was at least a partial step forward for Mercedes with George Russell outqualifying both Red Bull drivers, but that achievement was overshadowed by the comments of Hamilton, who was frustrated after being beaten on Saturday for the seventh time in eight races this year.
“We only had one upgrade, which George has, so I always knew it would be difficult to out-qualify George because he has the upgraded component,” Hamilton explained. “But it’s good to see we are bringing upgrades. But once we got to qualifying, I don’t understand…
“I automatically know I’m going to lose two-tenths going into qualifying. That’s definitely frustrating and something I don’t really have an answer for at the moment. I’m not driving any different and the laps were really great.”
He later declared: “I don’t anticipate being ahead of George in Qualifying this year.” When asked to expand on his cryptic comments, the seven-time world champion shrugged, replying: “We will see.”
