Toto Wolff will be absent from the Mercedes garage when the team travels to the Suzuka International Circuit.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff will miss the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks, sitting out the race following a disastrous weekend for the Silver Arrows in Australia.
Wolff will now not be present in the garage at the Suzuka International Circuit. However, this decision was pre-planned ahead of the season and is not linked to Mercedes’ dismal start to the year.
This will be the second successive season that the Austrian has been absent from the Japanese GP. Wolff missed the races in Suzuka and Qatar in 2023 after undergoing knee surgery.
The eight-time world champions have endured a nightmare start to the season and are only marginally ahead of Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the fourth round of the campaign in Japan.
Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix was a particularly low point for the team with Lewis Hamilton suffering an engine failure on lap 17 and George Russell crashing out of the race on the final lap.
With Mercedes suffering from a slow start for the third year in succession, questions have been raised about Wolff’s long-term future as the team principal at Brackley.
After the disaster in Melbourne, he responded to the rumors by stating that he reflects on his actions daily and believes it is a valid inquiry.
At this time, I don’t believe that leaving is the right course of action for me. However, I am open to hearing any suggestions about how to improve the situation.
After the first three rounds, Wolff is not the only one doubting himself.
Hamilton expressed his disappointment with his performance so far this season, stating that it is the worst start he has ever had, even worse than 2009, after his DNF in Melbourne.
When a team has been working hard all winter, it can be demoralizing for everyone when they don’t see the expected results. People come in with high hopes and motivation, thinking they will be competing for victories, only to be disappointed.