Toto Wolff admitted it was a 바카라fair question바카라 whether he remained the right person to lead Mercedes 바카라 after Lewis Hamilton바카라s worst ever start to a season was confirmed at the Australian Grand Prix. (More Formula One News)
Carlos Sainz delivered the best drive of his career, just 16 days after surgery for appendicitis, to take advantage of Max Verstappen바카라s shock first retirement in two years to lead home a Ferrari one-two finish from Charles Leclerc.
But over at Mercedes, Hamilton바카라s afternoon ended on the 17th lap when his engine expired as team-mate George Russell crashed out.
Hamilton, who qualified 11th, has taken just eight points from the opening three rounds. His previous worst start to a season had been in 2009 when he was disqualified at the first round before finishing sixth and seventh.
Before Sunday바카라s retirement, Hamilton had begun the year by crossing the line only seventh and ninth in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Mercedes carried Hamilton 바카라 who is heading to Ferrari next year 바카라 to six of his seven world championships, but the British driver has not won a race since the penultimate round of the 2021 campaign, 58 rounds ago.
Last year, Hamilton finished second in Melbourne, but Russell, who was the fastest Mercedes driver in Melbourne this weekend, was only seventh when he crashed.
Wolff, who has been team principal at Mercedes since 2013, was asked if he should remain in his role.
바카라As a corner of this business, I need to make sure my contribution is positive and creative so I would be the first one to say if somebody has a better idea, tell me because I am invested to turn this team around as quickly as possible,바카라 the 52-year-old replied.
바카라We have not swallowed a dumb pill since 2021. We don바카라t understand some of the behaviours of the car and in the past we would.
바카라I look at myself in the mirror every single day about everything I do and it is a fair question. But it (leaving) is not what I feel that I should do at the moment.
바카라But if you have any ideas as to who could turn this round, I would happily listen to that.
바카라The big difference is, this is my job and if you ask the manager question, I cannot go to Chelsea or Liverpool or over to Ferrari.
바카라I have not got that choice (as a co-owner of Mercedes) which is also unfortunate. I am not a contractor or an employee, who has said I have had enough of this. My hamster wheel keeps spinning and I cannot jump out.
바카라We always need to look at ourselves. I need to look at myself. And we are all humans. Data doesn바카라t take decisions; humans do.
바카라I would be lying if I said I feel positive and optimistic about the situation. You need to overcome the negative thoughts and say 바카라we will turn it around바카라, but today it feels very, very, very brutal.바카라
Mercedes arrived for the new season armed with a car that they thought would enable them to return to the front. But the Silver Arrows are now behind not just Red Bull, but Ferrari and McLaren in the pecking order, too.
An honest Wolff continued: 바카라We started this season in the belief that this car was better than last year.
바카라Everything I have done before, in finance and investment, you know which screws to turn and you know sometimes it takes time.
바카라Here, I don바카라t think we are missing things. It is just a complication that is happening with the car that we cannot see, and it is like an on-off switch.
바카라You see the progress that McLaren and Ferrari have made, so on one side, I want to punch myself on the nose. We have got to really dig deep because it is brutally painful.바카라
Despite his poor weekend in Melbourne, Hamilton was upbeat. His pain perhaps soothed by Ferrari바카라s impressive display at Albert Park.
바카라Surprisingly I feel pretty good,바카라 said Hamilton, with Wolff also admitting his soon-to-be-departing driver 바카라is looking over the fence바카라 at Ferrari바카라s impressive performances.
바카라I바카라m trying to keep things in perspective because things could be so much worse.
바카라I바카라m still enjoying working with the team. Of course I바카라d like to be (competing for wins) but we will bounce back. We will eventually get there.
바카라It바카라s easy to get caught up in the moment and be focused on this one thing. But the bigger picture is definitely the focus. And also, just realising that you can바카라t control everything.
바카라It바카라s not great. I바카라m not happy. But I바카라m going to have a great day tomorrow.바카라
Despite the brake failure on lap four which ended his bid for a record-equalling 10 straight wins, Verstappen still remains in charge of the championship with a four-point lead over Leclerc, ahead of the next round in Japan on April 7.
