Mercedes: Williams F1 team was wrong-footed in British GP strategy

Mercedes believes the Williams Formula 1 team "probably got caught on the wrong foot" strategically in the battle for victory in the British Grand Prix on Sunday

Mercedes: Williams F1 team was wrong-footed in British GP strategy

Williams held a surprise one-two with Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas in the first stint at Silverstone, but it was unable to fend off eventual winner Lewis Hamilton around the pitstops to hold onto the lead.

The team also stuck to its guns and allowed its drivers to race each other, rather than considering letting Bottas past when he appeared to be getting held up by Massa.

GP ANALYSIS: What more could Williams have done?

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said he sympathised with the Williams dilemma and recalled what it was like when the current world champion team was unfamiliar with competing for victories.

"Sometimes I had a bit of deja vu like us in 2013 when you find yourself in P1 and P2 and you're surprised," said Wolff.

"You don't want to risk the team result because it's so amazing.

"It's so easy to say what someone should have done, but I'm not in there and I think they probably got caught on the wrong foot."

Bottas claimed after the race that he felt he could have built a gap if he was in front of Massa, which Wolff agreed with.

The Mercedes chief also explained his team's attempt to trick Williams into making an early pitstop by sending mechanics out into the pitlane with no intention of bringing Hamilton or Nico Rosberg in.

"Probably Valtteri could have built a gap if they let him go," said Wolff.

"It was a bit of a game [in the pits] - we know Williams have more difficulty in making the tyres last.

"We knew that triggering an early stop would make them think we were able to [make the tyres last] and could have caused them problems at the end.

"But they knew they needed more time. For them it was too early, too marginal.

"It would have been too difficult on the prime tyre to finish the race [with an earlier stop]."

shares
comments

Lotus F1 team dealing with creditors after facing winding-up order

Formula 1 legend Adrian Newey designing road car with Aston Martin

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jonathan Noble

Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jake Boxall-Legge

How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jake Boxall-Legge

How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay How Perez kept Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian GP surge at bay

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
GP Racing

The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off The enormous job facing F1 for its Vegas gamble to pay off