Budget cap fears compromised Mercedes in 2024

Toto Wolff admits that his group’s efforts have been compromised by the finances cap final season, revealing that Mercedes got here near breaching the restrict.

Restricted to $135m, George Russell’s crashes at COTA and every week later in Mexico hit the group laborious, as did Kimi Antonelli’s shunt at Monza.

Fearing a breach of the finances cap, which might outcome – considerably mockingly – in a advantageous, however, extra importantly, restrictions on improvement time, and even the lack of factors, the German group opted to ease again on its improve programme.

“Very shut,” he advised Auto Motor und Sport, when requested how shut Mercedes got here to breaching the cap. “You may’t construct up an enormous nest egg,” he added. “It is extra the case that you simply overshoot at first of the 12 months after which begin to save.

“On the finish of the 12 months, we needed to do with out some upgrades in aerodynamics and mechanics,” he admitted, “as a result of there was merely no cash left to supply the corresponding components.

“The accidents on the finish of the season actually get you into bother, Kimi in Monza, George in Austin and Mexico. At one level, we solely had one set of a sure sort of wing. There was no cash left inside the fee restrict for brand new ones.

Nonetheless, the Austrian stays a fan of the cap.

Requested if he’s nonetheless in favour, he replied: “Undoubtedly. As a result of it has made the groups worthwhile and subsequently the game sustainable.”