Discord between Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff over ‘cursed’ W15 highlighted

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff appear to be at odds over the potential of Mercedes’ 2024 F1.

The apparent disconnect between Hamilton, who will move to Ferrari next year, and Mercedes team principal Wolff was noted by Sky F1’s pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz as he analysed Mercedes’ ongoing performance woes after the Australian Grand Prix.

"Toto Wolff - he still believes that this car is somehow going to get there but clearly, I don't think Lewis Hamilton believes it,” Kravitz said on his ‘Ted’s Notebook’ show in Melbourne.

“I think Lewis Hamilton thinks it's cursed with the same bad handing characteristics in the rear of the car that last year's car - and the car the year before it - had as well. Clearly this car is still not right.

“Toto when I spoke to him said, ‘I still think we can make it right’. But Lewis pretty much wrote off this year’s World Championship. I know you’re going to say to me, ‘Yeah, anyone not in a Red Bull is not going to win this year’s World Championship’. But there are 21 races still to go.

“Okay it is obvious Lewis is not going to win the championship and it might not be the golden goodbye to Mercedes before he goes to Ferrari but he can still score podiums and win races.”

A nightmare weekend for Hamilton ended with an engine failure after he had suffered his worst qualifying result in Australia since 2010.

Following his shock Q2 exit in qualifying, the seven-time world champion said inconsistencies with Mercedes’ W15 car “really messes with the mind”.

"I think our car is on a bit of a knife edge," Hamilton added.

Despite another disappointing start to the season, Wolff still has faith in the team’s revamped 2024 challenger.

"It's an illusion to get closer to Red Bull in the short-term, but I still have to believe there is more in this car,” he said.