Toto Wolff gives Lewis Hamilton reason to hope for F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix success

Mercedes are battling it out with Ferrari for second place in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship as Lewis Hamilton prepares to go for glory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

As Lewis Hamilton and teammate George Russell strive to finish second in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, Toto Wolff has talked up the speed of Mercedes’ vehicle.

In the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Mercedes fell behind rivals Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc coming in second and Carlos Sainz coming in ahead of both Hamilton and Russell. Mercedes leads Ferrari by just four points in the constructors’ championship, but Red Bull is guaranteed to finish first.

Despite the result in Las Vegas, though, Mercedes team principal Wolff remains optimistic. Speaking ahead of the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, the Austrian laid down the gauntlet for his team’s drivers.

“Las Vegas was an extraordinary event,” Wolff said in Mercedes’ preview of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “We saw a fantastic race, it was visually spectacular, and overall, a great Grand Prix that I am sure has helped increase the visibility of the sport in the United States. Everyone worked very hard to make it such a success and credit must go to all those involved.

“On track for us, it was a case of ‘what could have been’. The pace of the car was strong. Without the numerous incidents of contact, both Lewis and George would have been challenging for the podium. But that’s a case of could have, would have, should have.

“Ferrari have closed the gap in the Constructors’ to just four points and we’re ready to give it our all in Abu Dhabi to come out on top. They have shown good form recently, but we know we haven’t maximised our performance in the past few races. It will be a close fight and hopefully we can finish the season with a strong performance and on the front foot.”

Hamilton is currently guaranteed of third spot in the drivers’ title in the wake of taking seventh in Las Vegas, with Sainz and Fernando Alonso at this point not ready to get him. The different title holder had his qualms about the Vegas circuit going into the race, yet was more sure in the wake of wrapping up.

“I’m truly glad to have had a positive race and I’m truly thankful that the race was so great,” said Hamilton, who pipped Russell to seventh after his partner got a period punishment. “I don’t have the foggiest idea about the way things were as an exhibition to observe however there was such a lot of surpassing. It was like Baku, yet better.

“I truly wasn’t anticipating that the track should be so perfect, however the an ever increasing number of laps I did, I super adored hustling. Heaps of incredible overwhelming open doors. I think for every one of the people who were so pessimistic about the end of the week, saying it’s all regarding the show, yakkity yak, I think Vegas refuted them.”