Toto Wolff has admitted that Formula 1‘s new regulations reset requires improvement, despite the Mercedes team’s dominant start to the new campaign.
The Silver Arrows, as expected, came away with the spoils in Australia, with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli converting a front row lockout into a 1-2 in the race at Albert Park.
Amid the success achieved by the Brackley-based squad Down Under, the new regulations have been the source of continuing criticism from a large proportion of the grid.
Max Verstappen and reigning World Champion Lando Norris blasted the new cars over the weekend, with the McLaren driver believing some of the best cars he’s ever driven have been followed by the worst.
Russell intimated there was a degree of hypocrisy in Norris’ comments, but Wolff, speaking ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, acknowledged that some things need to change.
“Melbourne was an intense first race weekend under these new regulations and one that delivered plenty of excitement,” he said.
“As always with a big change, there are things to tweak and improve, and some negativity to overcome, but that’s a normal part of the process and it’s important we listen to the fansand understand what’s important to them.
“There was plenty of racing through the field with drivers being challenged to get the most out of their cars.
“As teams gain knowledge and the field converges, I am confident that will only get better too. Our focus is on doing the work required to be in that fight.”
The likelihood of a similar brand of racing that we saw in Australia hangs over Shanghai like a cloud, but Verstappen – perhaps the biggest reference point in terms of the criticism conveyed – appeared to be receptive to the idea of the “aces” up the FIA’s sleeve.
This means that there could be a distinct possibility that before the next round in Japan, or perhaps ahead of the Miami Grand Prix – assuming Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are cancelled – there will be some middle ground found to placate the discontented members of the current grid.
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