Toto Wolff, the team principal and part-owner of Mercedes, acknowledges that media inquiries regarding his continuity in Formula 1 are justified as the team's prior dominance seems increasingly distant.
With the failed design concept of 2022-2023 behind them, there was optimism for a rebound this season, even if Lewis Hamilton decided even before the season began to leaeve the team. Indeed, Hamilton has consistently lagged behind his teammate George Russell throughout the season so far, and his frustration intensified following a sudden engine failure during Sunday's race in Melbourne. "I think it just seized," the seven-time world champion remarked.
More pressing for Hamilton is the significant performance gap between Mercedes and the leading teams, led by Red Bull.
"I think they have a second on us, something like that," the 39-year-old, set to join Ferrari in 2025, observed. "Just the way he (Sergio Perez) pulled away down the straight.
"It's the worst start to a season - worse than 2009, I think," Hamilton continued, recalling his challenging times with McLaren after winning his first title.
Entering 2024, he had hoped to challenge Red Bull, but the reality has been a disappointment. "Then you think 'ok, maybe second or third' and then it cascades even further down and you're just going through the motions.
"It's challenging," Hamilton stated.
Some analysts believe Hamilton has lost all faith in Mercedes.
"Hamilton does not have off days, he has off seasons," former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos commented, as reported by Ziggo Sport.
"He gets beaten in qualifying, his car breaks down in the race, and his motivation is gone."
Wolff himself is not pretending the situation looks promising. "I would be lying if I said at any moment I felt positive about the situation and optimistic," he admitted in Melbourne.
"You just need to overcome the negative thoughts and say 'we will turn this around'. But today it feels very, very brutal."
Wolff confesses that maintaining optimism and creativity in his role is increasingly difficult. "I'd be the first to say 'if anyone has a better idea, please bring it on'.
"Our problem is not the organisation or the racing philosophy - our problem is the physics. We just have to get to the bottom of the intricacies of these modern wing cars."
Nevertheless, Wolff is not considering stepping down as the leader.
"I look at myself in the mirror every single day about everything I do so it is a fair question," Wolff remarked. "But that is not what I feel that I should do at the moment."
He also acknowledges the complexity of his situation, not just as the team's boss but also as a one-third owner.
"If you ask the manager question, it's not like I can go to Chelsea or Liverpool or over to Ferrari," he joked. "I am not a contractor or an employee who can say 'I've had enough of this'. My hamster wheel keeps spinning and I cannot jump out."
