Wolff admits Mercedes approach gives title advantage to Vettel

Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes' approach to the 2017 season hands the title advantage to Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. Ferrari clearly favours one driver while Mercedes have given both drivers the freedom to race and battle it out for the championship.

Before the summer break, Vettel came out on top at the Hungarian Grand Prix while teammate Kimi Raikkonen followed him home in second. Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's closest title rival, handed third place back to Bottas at the end of the race as the Finn had allowed Hamilton through earlier in the Grand Prix.

"It is clear that Ferrari is all about Vettel, while our philosophy of having two drivers means we are disadvantaged," Wolff said. "In the last few years this was not a problem as we were fighting for the championship within our team. But now it's different and we have to adjust. I'm discussing it with James Allison. It will not be enough to correct the problems with the car, as the past years were abnormal championships."

Meanwhile, the Austrian hit back at persistent rumours that with Vettel yet to re-sign with Ferrari for 2018, the German driver could actually be headed to Mercedes: "That is not true. We never talked to Seb. One of our principles is to talk first with our drivers and see if there is a willingness to continue. Hamilton's contract ends in 2018, but for now there is no problem."

 

Fergal Walsh

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