Wolff: "This immune system has to kick in when things go bad"

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff hopes his team will emerge stronger than ever from the battle with Red Bull Racing. Having dominated the sport for many years, the Austrian believes the team is in a position to 'cope with setbacks'.

For seven years, Mercedes managed to win every title in Formula One. In 2017 and 2018, the team still seemed to face some opposition from Ferrari and Red Bull, but even in those years, it eventually became pretty clear that Mercedes would walk away with the titles. In 2021, things are different. Red Bull has taken the step forward and is already 44 points ahead in the battle for the constructors' title.

Immune system needs to kick in

"It's not pleasant," says Wolff according to Speedweek.com. But the 49-year-old team boss also tries to highlight the positive side: "It's a new experience and I'm sure - it will make us even stronger in the long run. I feel what a fantastic attitude our people have, their attitude is in a way the immune system of the race team."

"This immune system has to kick in when things go bad," Wolff continues. As well as Mercedes being second among the constructors, star driver Lewis Hamilton is also 32 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship. "We are in a very different situation. But we are not giving up. We only give up when the mathematical chance of winning the title would be gone."