The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
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The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff

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OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work

"Mercedes seems to be fumbling in the dark. It's not a question of a certain individual not being good enough, it's about whether the culture of the way a team operates is conducive to success."

So stated Autosport magazine in October 2012 – just a week after Lewis Hamilton had been announced as joining Mercedes and ending his long association with McLaren. In our 4 October issue that year, we were assessing the fallout from Hamilton’s decision to join the Silver Arrows squad and wondering what it might one day mean for the reputations of both driver and (then) upcoming new team.

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