P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff has conceded that Mercedes has fallen short in a key area during its years of Formula 1 dominance.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged that the team did not prioritize pit-stops during their dominant run in Formula 1. From 2014 to 2021, Mercedes had such a significant advantage over other teams that any mistakes or slow pit-stops could easily be compensated by the car’s performance. However, in the current ground effects era, quick pit-stops have become crucial, and Mercedes is now lagging behind its rivals. Red Bull and McLaren have emerged as the leaders in this aspect, with McLaren setting a world record of 1.80 seconds in the Qatar Grand Prix. Wolff admits that Mercedes has fallen well behind in this regard and acknowledges the need to improve their game. He stated that their focus will shift towards becoming better than their current average pit-stop time of three-and-a-half seconds.
