Toto Wolff makes Chelsea claim after Mercedes suffer nightmare Australian Grand Prix
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff namechecked Chelsea after admitting he wanted 'punch himself in the nose' following the team's hugely disappointing start to the 2024 Formula 1 season. Carlos Sainz delivered the best drive of his career, just 16 days after surgery for appendicitis, to take advantage of Max Verstappen's shock first retirement in two years to lead home a Ferrari one-two finish from Charles Leclerc.
But over at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton's 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 Sunday's retirement, Hamilton had begun the year by crossing the line only seventh and ninth in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively. Mercedes carried Hamilton who is heading to Ferrari next year 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.
«As 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,» the 52-year-old replied.
«We have not swallowed a dumb pill since 2021. We don't understand some of the behaviours of the car and in
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