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Toto Wolff “Lost” Without Niki Lauda, Ex-F1 Driver Points Out Biggest Flaw in the Mercedes Paddock

Published 04/13/2024, 10:54 AM EDT

If Lewis Hamilton did a bad job, Niki Lauda would rub his fingers, saying to Hamilton, “Give me my money back.” Niki Lauda was one of the essential people who helped set up the Mercedes team that won 8 consecutive championships and was the one who convinced Lewis Hamilton to join. But Ex F1 driver Christian Danner suggests that Toto Wolff is lost without Niki Lauda while pointing out the biggest flaw in Mercedes.

In a video uploaded by Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton talked about how Niki Lauda is still very much a part of the team as everybody embodies his fighting spirit. But now, since the Austrian is no longer with us, Mercedes seems to be clueless as they continue to fall down the ladder of performance.

Christian Danner has now come out to point out a flaw in Toto Wolff’s arsenal, where the Mercedes TP isn’t able to decide what goes on with the car, comparing it to someone like Horner, who can. Toto Wolff is a TP with great financial knowledge whereas Christian Horner is an engineer. He suggests that when Toto Wolff had Niki Lauda, it was Lauda’s advice and decision that was followed but after Lauda, Wolff has been lost and clueless.

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Christian Danner speaking with the YT channel Formel1.de, said, “He [Toto Wolff] has his team, with which he somehow has to cope. He has a team of technicians, an engineering team, and an aero team he has to rely on. But the car is not made by the team boss. Christian Horner can manage what he likes, and the car goes. And with Toto, that’s the problem at the moment. And his drivers say that too. What he misses very much, I say it again and again, is certainly Niki Lauda.”

Ferrari themselves brought in Frederic Vasseur because of his engineering background. Rather than being a marketing specialist or a financial specialist, Frederic Vasseur is a true racer and engineer at heart, and that is what Ferrari believed was needed. Regardless, the first step that Wolff needs to take right now is to sign Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. And there is big news on the same.

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Carlos Sainz rumored to be offered a 2-year contract

Fernando Alonso’s signing with Aston Martin leaves Toto Wolff with only Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. While there are rumors of Toto Wolff aggressively pursuing Max Verstappen, it is believed that Wolff has also made an offer to Sainz.

It was reported that Toto Wolff and Mercedes have offered Carlos Sainz a 1+1 year contract. However, Carlos Sainz wants a 2-year contract with the option to extend for another year. Mercedes has offered a dry single year with certain criteria to be met for the additional year. This duration is believed to be the thing holding up the contract.

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Do you think Mercedes will be able to recover from this slump?

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Written by:

Pranay is an F1 Content Analyst and writer at EssentiallySports who effortlessly blends his technical knowledge and passion for F1 in his writing. He has a knack for unique content research and specializes in trend-setting articles. Pranay’s coverage of the departure of Guenther Steiner from Haas received appreciation from readers.

Edited by:

Shreya Singh

Toto Wolff “Lost” Without Niki Lauda, Ex-F1 Driver Points Out Biggest Flaw in the Mercedes Paddock

Carlos Sainz rumored to be offered a 2-year contract

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