Mercedes, not drivers to decide strategy - Wolff

  • Published on 16 Nov 2015 10:02
  • comments 1
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Toto Wolff says Mercedes will continue to make the call on race strategy, following the complaints of world champion driver Lewis Hamilton. In Brazil, teammate Nico Rosberg won his second consecutive race from pole, as the German declared he is back in top form after losing the drivers' title to Hamilton. "Lewis put in a good challenge but I was able to control it and never give him a chance," he said.

However, Briton Hamilton argues that the reason he didn't have a chance is because it is impossible to overtake at Interlagos, even though rookie sensation Max Verstappen was hailed for his feisty passing moves. "I had the pace," Hamilton insists, "it's just you can't overtake around here."

He was heard on the radio pleading with Mercedes to put him on a different strategy to Rosberg, who with his victory on Sunday cemented second place in the drivers' world championship ahead of Sebastian Vettel. "I was like 'If there are any other strategies, let's do it, let's take a risk, let's do whatever' and they (Mercedes) are like 'Look after the tyres' and I'm like "no, I'm racing'. I think that's what people want to see," Hamilton added, "but it was relatively boring following in a tow."

Team boss Toto Wolff, however, insists that it will be Mercedes who continues to call the shots when it comes to strategy. "We have our strategists," he said, "and if the drivers in the car start to make their own (decisions) they would lose every single race."

Rosberg also backs Mercedes' policy of enforcing the strategies, arguing that allowing Hamilton to dictate the decisions would not be fair. "In advance you can only go by what the computer tells you," he said. "It wouldn't really be fair for the guy who is running second to go for the other strategy and then for it to turn out that it was massively quicker. It should be just me against Lewis and that's it and no luck involved," said Rosberg. (GMM)

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • f1dave

    Posts: 782

    Here's whats wrong with F1 "It wouldn't really be fair for the guy who is running second to go for the other strategy and then for it to turn out that it was massively quicker" "In advance you can only go by what the computer tells you,"
    As long as these kinds of attitudes prevail it is a formula of technicians and computer operators instead of drivers. The total dependency on telemetry is not good for the sport.

    • + 0
    • Nov 16 2015 - 15:43

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Netherlands
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (25)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), Netherlands
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar