Formula One: Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff vow to lead Mercedes response to Red Bull triumph
- Max Verstappen’s record-equalling 13th win of the season in United States Grand Prix clinched Red Bull’s first teams title since 2013
- ‘We understand what we got wrong now,’ Wolff says, while Hamilton adds: ‘When they build the car, I will take it right back to the top’
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff pledged to keep fighting to take Mercedes back to the top in Formula One after Red Bull ended their eight-year domination in Austin on Sunday.
“We are much closer now,” said Wolff, whose team struggled severely with “porpoising” and bouncing in the first half of this season.
“We were racing for a win and on the second run, on the hard tyres, we were probably the fastest car along with Max … But we were just off, by two-tenths in the end.
“But credit to Red Bull. Max was really strong. And winning the constructors’ title is what they deserve.”
Wolff said Mercedes understood their mistakes and their car and were hoping to exploit their wind tunnel work to return stronger next season.
“We understand what we got wrong now and we can trace it right back to last October,” Wolff said. “We thought we could run the car on the deck, but we can’t … But now we’re making small little hamster steps.”
He said Mercedes hoped to “reel them in next year” and would seek to extract the maximum from their car in the remaining three races this season.
“It would be nice to win, but if not if we can race much closer, that’s enough,” Wolff said.
Hamilton was also bullish about the future despite disappointment at lacking the pace to hold off Verstappen in Sunday’s final laps.
“What I take from [Sunday] is that we had good pace and I’m still here,” said the 37-year-old seven-time world champion.
“And I know that when they build the car, I will take it right back to the top. We just keep on working. I’m so proud of everybody.”