P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes is no longer the lead outfit of the teams using the same powertrain, an honour which is held by customer team, McLaren.
Toto Wolff jokingly admitted that partnering with McLaren as a customer Mercedes outfit might not have been his smartest move. McLaren switched back to using Mercedes engines in 2021, after previous partnerships with Honda and Renault. Despite initially being a midfield team, McLaren has now moved to the front of the grid. The partnership between Mercedes and McLaren is set to continue until at least the end of 2030, agreed upon in 2023, when McLaren was not yet dominant. Wolff acknowledged McLaren’s impressive performance with Mercedes engines, especially excelling in hot conditions, attributing it to their strong engineering capabilities. He humorously reflected on the decision-making process, admitting uncertainty about the choice but praising McLaren’s engineering success.
