After winning the 2021 season opener, Toto Wolff’s Mercedes W12 isn’t the fastest car on the grid yet. Nonetheless, he declined from imitating his rival Red Bull’s design for better components.
The German constructor is well known for the low rake designs, as these helped them win seven titles in a row. However, the Mercedes philosophy isn’t working anymore in 2021, since implementing the new aerodynamic rules.
Toto Wolff claimed not to have the fastest car in 2021. But that doesn’t mean copying their rival Red Bull’s high rake designs is a solution.
Meanwhile, their rival Red Bull is getting wonderful results with their low stake designs. However the Mercedes boss claimed the aerodynamics can’t be the only issue they have. Thus he further asserted his views, “Our analyses have shown that the higher rake concept has lost less downforce than the lower rake one and in the last year of these regulations, we wouldn’t be able to replicate the concept that Red Bull and some of the other teams have been racing.”
Toto Wolff and his plans for Mercedes
The Brackley-based team had a poor start in the 2021 season, failing to make a during the pre-season testing and qualifiers at Bahrain. Even during the first half of the season-opener, they were behind Red Bull, but soon Lewis Hamilton went ahead of Max Verstappen and eventually won the race.
Toto Wolff mentioned they might not have the fastest car like the Milton Keynes-based team, but Toto has strategies to overcome the difference between them. The Mercedes boss further stated that W12 might have issues with the new tyres, thus there are more solutions than simply copying their rival’s designs.
Toto Wolff is working with his team to outshine Red Bull in the upcoming 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The 49-year-old team principal is working with his engineers and drivers for the upcoming race in Italy. We might also witness Toto’s driver claiming another victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, April 18. However, the threat from the Milton Keynes outfit will be constant.
