Toto Wolff has reversed his decision to skip this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix after Mercedes’ disappointing start to the new season .
With the expansion of the Formula 1 calendar to 24 races this year, the Mercedes boss planned to watch the Suzuka event from his home in Monaco.
Wolff did the same in 2022 when Mercedes won their only race of the year in Brazil where George Russell led a one-two.
The Austrian was also absent from last year’s Japanese GP, as well as the following race in Qatar, although this was the result of his knee surgery.
On this occasion to race at the legendary Japanese circuit, it was claimed that Wolff’s decision to ‘work from home’ again was in no way related to Mercedes’ poor performance at the last race in Australia.
Mercedes could not grasp their lack of performance over the weekend at Albert Park which culminated in Lewis Hamilton retiring after 19 laps with engine problems, while George Russell ended up in the wall on the penultimate lap while chasing Fernando Alonso for sixth.
The result means Mercedes recorded their worst start to a season after the opening three grands prix since the introduction of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, scoring just 26 points to leave them fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Wolff said after the Australian Grand Prix that it was “fair” to question his leadership position in the organization.
“I have to make sure that my contribution is positive, so that I can be the first to say: if someone has a better idea, tell me,” Wolff said.
