Mercedes would repeat Singapore F1 strategy gamble "every day of the week"
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has said his Formula 1 team would repeat its 2023 Singapore Grand Prix late strategy gamble "every day of the week".
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon breaking down at the pit exit triggered a virtual safety car on lap 44 of 62 at Marina Bay. This created a window for both Mercedes drivers to pit for medium tyres.
This gave them a late-race pace advantage in a bid to close and overtake eventual winner Carlos Sainz and runner-up Lando Norris, who were nursing aging hard Pirellis.
But Ferrari racer Sainz was confident to ease off to give Norris DRS to help the McLaren driver defend against the chasing Mercedes, before George Russell crashed out on the final lap to hand Lewis Hamilton third.
Despite the team ultimately coming up short, Wolff said he 'loved the call' from the strategists and drivers and that the risk to win the race was worth repeating "every day of the week".
"We tried to win and we didn't," said the Austrian. "The positives are that I love the call from driver and strategy team to say, 'We're going for it'.
"Worst case was second and fifth. Best case, we win or first and second. And our plan showed that at times."
He added: "I think it was the absolute right call, we would have finished P2, P5 - maybe P2, P4, and we wanted to win the race.
"So, we took the risk and I would every day of the week do it again."
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The team was steered by pre-race strategy simulations based on possible virtual and full safety car timings.
Wolff reckoned the performance would energise Mercedes since "not everything is wrong" with the W14, a machine that throughout the weekend he referred to as a "surprise box".
He continued: "Overall, I'm happy about the performance. I'm happy about how the car was all weekend, and I think we gave it our best shot.
"I think this is the positive… we've been really strong here, we could have won the race.
"We could have finished first and second on merit and that is what we need to take from here and clearly will energise us even more that, on this particular track, we were strong.
"Not everything is wrong. But then you see on the planner, P1 and P2 popping up at times and you think about 'Could have been an unbelievable day' and it's not.
"But I'd rather then fall back on the positives of this weekend and go back home and say 'that was a good one'."
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
2023 F1 Japanese GP – How to watch, session timings and more
Red Bull's rivals expect immediate F1 bounce back at Suzuka
Red Bull's rivals expect immediate F1 bounce back at Suzuka Red Bull's rivals expect immediate F1 bounce back at Suzuka
Why TV cameras didn't show Mercedes celebrating Hamilton's Singapore F1 podium
Why TV cameras didn't show Mercedes celebrating Hamilton's Singapore F1 podium Why TV cameras didn't show Mercedes celebrating Hamilton's Singapore F1 podium
How a passion for the past is driving McLaren's pursuit of F1 titles
How a passion for the past is driving McLaren's pursuit of F1 titles How a passion for the past is driving McLaren's pursuit of F1 titles
Hamilton: "Something's up" if Red Bull doesn't win F1 Japanese GP by 30 seconds
Hamilton: "Something's up" if Red Bull doesn't win F1 Japanese GP by 30 seconds Hamilton: "Something's up" if Red Bull doesn't win F1 Japanese GP by 30 seconds
Schumacher can remain Mercedes F1 reserve amid Alpine WEC links
Schumacher can remain Mercedes F1 reserve amid Alpine WEC links Schumacher can remain Mercedes F1 reserve amid Alpine WEC links
Why the painful process of Mercedes’ F1 B-spec shift isn’t over yet
Why the painful process of Mercedes’ F1 B-spec shift isn’t over yet Why the painful process of Mercedes’ F1 B-spec shift isn’t over yet
The Alonso/Schumacher F1 traits McLaren sees in Piastri
The Alonso/Schumacher F1 traits McLaren sees in Piastri The Alonso/Schumacher F1 traits McLaren sees in Piastri
Promoted: Three winners in Radical UK Cup finale as Lay retains title at Donington Park
Promoted: Three winners in Radical UK Cup finale as Lay retains title at Donington Park Promoted: Three winners in Radical UK Cup finale as Lay retains title at Donington Park
Vettel: No regrets on retiring after realising how small F1 world is
Vettel: No regrets on retiring after realising how small F1 world is Vettel: No regrets on retiring after realising how small F1 world is
Porsche squad Manthey wants DTM race at Nordschleife in 2024
Porsche squad Manthey wants DTM race at Nordschleife in 2024 Porsche squad Manthey wants DTM race at Nordschleife in 2024
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
How a McLaren winner overshadowed by scandal was dealt self-inflicted setbacks
How a McLaren winner overshadowed by scandal was dealt self-inflicted setbacks How a McLaren winner overshadowed by scandal was dealt self-inflicted setbacks
The numbers that reveal F1's aerodynamic efficiency improvements
The numbers that reveal F1's aerodynamic efficiency improvements The numbers that reveal F1's aerodynamic efficiency improvements
Could F1’s worst nightmare become its biggest selling point?
Could F1’s worst nightmare become its biggest selling point? Could F1’s worst nightmare become its biggest selling point?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.