Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff Reveals Key Factors Behind Lewis Hamilton’s Historic British GP Victory
Superior Tyre Degradation Secures Hamilton’s Record 9th Silverstone Win
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has revealed that superior tyre degradation was the key factor in securing Lewis Hamilton’s record ninth win at the British Grand Prix, as the Formula 1 driver held off a late charge from Max Verstappen.
Hamilton capitalized on an undercut with a late crossover to slicks when the track dried, overhauling McLaren’s Lando Norris to achieve the milestone victory. The Briton was placed on the new Soft tyres that Mercedes had saved heading into the race, a strategic decision that ultimately paid off.
“We didn’t have the Medium, that was very simple for us,” Wolff said in a post-race interview. “We didn’t believe the Hard was the right tyre to go. In hindsight, probably the right order of priority would be Medium, Hard and Soft. That’s what would have been the quickest.”
However, Wolff conceded that the red-walled rubber was not the ideal choice, and Mercedes’ selection meant they didn’t have a choice. The Austrian expressed surprise at how competitive the Hard compound was on Verstappen’s Red Bull, as their pre-race simulations suggested it wouldn’t be favourable.
Wolff was pleased with the team’s tyre deg performance, which he believes secured the victory.
“I think our tyre deg was good compared to the McLarens. And that secured the victory,” he explained.
Wolff also praised the communication between the pit wall and Hamilton, which enabled them to execute the vital stop on Lap 38 that opened the door to end his prolonged win drought.
“I think the communication with the driver today was very good, and we kept the channel open over time,” he said.
However, Wolff was disappointed with the water leak issue that curtailed polesitter George Russell’s involvement, denying him the opportunity to log a podium on home soil.
“It’s just a shame that we didn’t have, with George, he had the pace, and letting him down, here with a, with a water leak, it’s just not great,” he added.
With the Formula 1 calendar moving on to the next race, Mercedes will be looking to build on this momentum, while Verstappen and Red Bull will be seeking to close the gap in the Formula 1 standings.
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