Toto Wolff: “This victory is already tomorrow”

Absent in Brazil, it was on television that the Austrian manager witnessed the first Grand Prix victory of his protégé, and of a Mercedes this season.

Published on 16/11/2022 à 14:34

Jean-Michel Desnoues

0 View comments)

Toto Wolff: “This victory is already tomorrow”

Toto Wolff must have been smiling after the Brazilian GP (Photo DPPI)

Toto wolff, this victory is the culmination of a long journey with George…

At the end of the race, I saw him again at the age of 16 with his suit, his tie and his Powerpoint presentation. He is the first in our new Junior program to win a race. He is the most successful of all those who have come out of our academy. We have always set difficult objectives for him: to win the GP3, to win the F2 ; which he achieved in his rookie seasons. And then, at Williams, he went to the best school possible. Today, he is one of the Grand Prix winners, and it is deserved!

How important is this victory for the team?

This success demonstrates our capacity for development, and it makes me very proud. We had times where we felt like we understood the car, but there were setbacks, and extremely difficult weekends like Spa. We never stopped believing that we were on the right trajectory while recognizing that we didn't always understand everything. This shows the mindset and values ​​of the team. I'm very proud of what we accomplished, of the organization we built that allowed us to stay the course and win today. An organization that can do without me makes me even more proud.

Do you now understand the problems that handicapped you for a good part of the season?

None of us will ever say we have it all figured out down to the smallest detail, because it is ongoing work. But we brought good development to Austin, and we were strong in Mexico. Here at Interlagos which was not a track where we expected to be super competitive, we outperformed everyone. This shows that we are progressing in our mastery of the car and how to exploit its potential. This is obviously encouraging for next year. This victory is already tomorrow!

You were at least on the same level as Red Bull in Brazil. Will it be the same in Abu Dhabi?

On paper, Abu Dhabi is much more difficult, because of our drag. On the other hand, we don't know why we were so far ahead of everyone this weekend. Whether with the Soft or Medium tire, we were the most efficient. For what ? I think it's due to all the improvements introduced to the car, and the good work done during the season on the engine. We have noted a positive trend over the last three races, but we are far from a return to domination.

ALSO READ > The emergence of George Russell

0 View comments)