Toto Wolff is still haunted by the events that unfolded in 2021 at the Yas Marina circuit.
During the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, Lewis Hamilton fell short on the final lap and finished second in the Drivers’ Championship. Max Verstappen was able to overtake Hamilton because he had fresh soft tires, while Hamilton was stuck with old hard compounds.
However, the actions of the then FIA Race Director, Michael Masi, left Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, feeling bitter. Verstappen made the pass on Hamilton shortly after the safety car period ended.
When discussing the injustice towards Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff responded strongly.
Mercedes filed two protest notices after the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, citing violations of Article 48.8 and Article 48.12 of the International Sports Code and Formula 1 Sports Regulations in Verstappen’s overtake. The FIA dismissed the protests, and Mercedes later withdrew their appeal.
Amidst the ongoing issues at Mercedes, Toto Wolff decided to skip the Japanese GP. Despite expecting a better start to the season, the team faced significant difficulties during the Bahrain Grand Prix and subsequent races.
The team’s decline was worsened by the double DNF (Did Not Finish) in the Australian Grand Prix. Speculations suggest that Wolff may be losing interest or dissatisfied with the results.
However, as reported by Sky Sports at the beginning of the week, news emerged that Wolff would join the team in Suzuka. While the decision to withdraw from the Japanese GP was made before the current season began and was unrelated to the team’s performance in Australia, the team principal had a change of heart.
The team is working tirelessly to improve their performance at the Japanese GP this weekend. After the fiasco of the double DNF at Albert Park, the team had their hands full with repairs. Nevertheless, despite the challenges, Wolff has chosen to maintain a positive outlook for the upcoming 2024 season.