F1 | Azerbaijan GP | Wolff: Mercedes contemplating 2023 design shift as "everything is being looked at"
Toto Wolff says Mercedes could switch focus to their 2023 car after a mediocre start to the season.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists the team are looking at every possible fix for its W13 F1 car and contemplating it’s 2023 concept.
The reigning Constructors champions endured a difficult race weekend in Azerbaijan with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell suffering from extreme porpoising.
Despite a poor start to the season by Mercedes’ lofty expectations the Brackley based squad have scored four podiums and comfortably sit third in the championship.
Wolff explained to MotorLAT and other media outlets that there is a possibility of the team switching focus to 2023 if results don’t improve in future races.
The Austrian said: “I think we are looking at all possible solutions under the leadership of Mike Elliott he’s a really strong technical director there are no holy cows everything is being looked at.
“And we will for sure bring the car back on track if things cannot be solved in the short term because they are conceptual then it will be sorted out over the next few months.”
Porpoising has become a huge issue for every team in 2022 as the new generation of cars been put much more of an emphasis on ground effect.
Hamilton struggled with the bouncing in Baku and got out of his car very gingerly after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Wolff expressed his concern for the seven-time champion after an arduous 51 laps for the 37-year-old in The Land of Fire.
He said: “I haven’t seen him and I haven’t spoken to him afterwards but you can see this is not muscular anymore I mean this goes properly into the spine and can have some consequences."
Russell has performed admirably in 2022 scoring three podiums during his first season for Mercedes and consistently out performing his team mate Hamilton.
“He’s very solid in bringing top positions in he’s been on the podium a few times and Lewis has been.
“And that is when your car is not super competitive with the front guys maximising these points is important to consolidate and make are that your are no worse than third but equally you see the situation with Ferrari if they drop the ball often we are there.”
