Toto Wolff: “This title has a special flavor”

Manhandled at the start of the season by a Team Ferrari and a Sebastian Vettel left with positive momentum, Mercedes-AMG F1 was able to find the necessary resources internally to counter the attacks of the Italian team and thus retain its title for a fifth consecutive year.

A title acquired in a special context, Lewis Hamilton having encountered a potentially disqualifying engine problem, before the German team managed to control the problem and the Briton took advantage of the collision Max Verstappen - Esteban Ocon to take it away.

“This season has been marked by ups and downs and an alternation of highlights for Ferrari and us, without forgetting Red Bull at the end of the season, confided Toto wolff. One weekend, we had the advantage, and we were told: “That's it, you've found the magic solution to dominate until the end”, and the next round, we were in difficulty.

We always exercised caution because the face of the championship fight was constantly changing. It is for this reason that this title has a particular flavor, the best. The fight was very bitter with Ferrari, a formidable team and an emblematic brand. »

Wolff is already looking ahead to the 2019 season, where Mercedes could surpass the star-studded team's streak of five consecutive doubles tied with Ferrari. But the boss warns that nothing is certain. “Our strength of character has allowed us to continue moving forward, even in difficult times.

From year to year, the task becomes more and more difficult. We are the current benchmark but our competitors will come back with increased motivation and energy. You must always respect your opponents, recognize their strengths and realize that they can beat you. The counters will be reset to 0 in 2019 and everyone will have forgotten our 5th title by then. We will then have to roll up our sleeves to get the 6th. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Brazilian Grand Prix, with the full interview with Toto Wolff, in issue 2191 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version and on newsstands.