Toto Wolff has acknowledged that Mercedes may need to “sacrifice” good results in the final four races of the season.
The team principal admitted that recent significant crashes have placed Mercedes’ budget cap in “serious trouble” for the closing weeks of the 2024 season.
George Russell mentioned that he wouldn’t mind if the team decided against creating a replacement new-specification floor after his crash in Mexico last Friday.
“We may have to make compromises for the remainder of the season, which, to be honest, I would be fine with since we are not contending for the championship,” he said.
“I would be more than happy to stick with the old floor if it improves our chances for next year.”
While Mercedes is technically still in contention for victories in the upcoming races, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull have established a comfortable lead in the constructors’ championship standings.
When asked about Mercedes’ potential for more wins this season, Wolff told Osterreich newspaper: “That would be an exciting goal—eight drivers competing and four strong teams. However, I have a clear strategy for the remaining four races this year. I am willing to sacrifice a good race result for better development for next year.”
Wolff emphasized, “For us, every session and every race from now on is a test. It is more important to me to explore different setups—ride height, rear wing, suspension, etc.—than to chase a possible victory. We are taking risks now to learn.”