Wolff Reflects on Mixed Emotions at Canadian GP: A Victory for Mercedes Remains ‘A Short Dream

Toto Wolff describes the victory at the Canadian Grand Prix as "a fleeting dream" following Mercedes' first podium finish in F1 2024.

Toto Wolff ponders if the race in Canada represented a lost chance for Mercedes to secure a victory.

Toto Wolff has described the idea of Mercedes clinching victory at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix as a fleeting dream following George Russell's third-place finish.

Russell was at the forefront during the initial phases of Sunday's race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, having started from the pole position.

Nonetheless, the driver from Mercedes fell to third place due to an error at the last chicane while being passed by Lando Norris from McLaren.

Following the Safety Car phase, Russell had regained the second position, but fell back due to an additional error.

Once more, his advance was impeded when battling Oscar Piastri through the last chicane, leading him to veer off into the damp escape area and fall back behind his teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

In the final stages of the race, Russell's daring maneuver enabled him to reclaim a spot in the top three, yet it was a squandered chance for Mercedes, who seemingly possessed the fastest vehicle under clear weather conditions.

Discussing Russell's potential to surpass Max Verstappen, Wolff shared with Sky Sports F1 post-race, "Winning was perhaps a distant possibility, or a fleeting hope."

"When George was performing well on the track, gaining ground and demonstrating significant speed, there might have been a moment where the thought crossed our minds, but it's important not to overreach."

Russell fell behind significantly during his duel with Piastri in the last series of turns.

However, Wolff believed that specific duel deprived Russell of a chance to finish second, instead of winning.

"Wolff pointed out that while the race displayed moments of sheer genius, there was also a possibility of evasion on the other hand. He believed that attempting an overtake on Piastri at that specific turn was never really an option."

As a driver, his skill in overtaking is marked by his willingness to embrace risk and push his driving to the limit. On this occasion, he may have been overly bold, resulting in the loss of a position, but he managed to recover it later on.

In the final analysis, it appears P2 managed to secure their spot. It's uncertain if Lando encountered a problem, started to lag behind, or simply eased off, but it's possible that without that factor, a different ranking might have been achieved.

"However, the potential outcomes are inconsequential. The key point is that we equipped our drivers with a fast vehicle. It's crucial to focus on the positive aspects, as we've made significant progress, we're introducing new components, and our path of development is correct."

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