Mercedes concerned title will be decided by car breakdowns

  • Published on 23 Sep 2014 08:29
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Mercedes has acknowledged it needs to up its game in the reliability stakes following former championship leader Nico Rosberg's problems in Singapore. The German went into the night race with a clear points lead and as the drivers' title favourite with six races to go, but faulty electronics left his steering wheel controls in disarray and he ultimately retired.

Sunday's problem - an electrical connection to the steering wheel - was an unusual one, team boss Toto Wolff admitted. "A mechanic told me that we have been using the same thing since the Honda days and we've never had any problems with it," he admitted to Germany's Welt newspaper.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton has now taken a 3-point lead with five races to go including the double points finale in Abu Dhabi, but the Briton has also suffered problems in 2014 with the otherwise utterly dominant W05 car.

Before Sunday's race, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was playing down Daniel Ricciardo's chances of having even a remote shot at beating Rosberg or Hamilton. But now he admits: "Due to their (Mercedes') shocking reliability, hopefully we can keep ourselves in the championship."

Mercedes' technical boss Paddy Lowe says it is something the Brackley based team must address. "I've said internally from the beginning of the year, when it was clear we had the dominant car, that my biggest concern is that we will decide the championship on the basis of car breakdowns," he is quoted by the Guardian.

"I'm not going to pretend it's good enough because it isn't. It's one of the weaknesses that we have. We're doing a lot of work behind the scenes to turn it around but it's a long-term project."

Realistically, Mercedes is almost guaranteed wins in both the drivers' and constructors' championships this year, but the manner of the victory is also important to the German carmaker. "The trouble at the moment is that Nico has seen his championship lead wiped out in one afternoon," said Lowe.

So if it is ultimately perceived that either Hamilton or Rosberg is the eventual points winner based mainly on reliability, "That is something that would not be satisfying at all," Toto Wolff acknowledged. "We don't want any spin in there that the championship was decided because one car let down the driver," Mercedes' team boss added. (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Australia
  • Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (34)
  • Place of b. Perth, Australia
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar