F1 needs more races like Qatar says Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said Formula 1 needs more races like the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix in fear of a 2023 repeat.

Although Qatar was one of the most hotly debated races, Wolff believes it provided a solution to F1’s issues.

Many drivers suffered illness during and following the race due to dehydration.

Lance Stroll and Logan Sargeant were shown to physically struggle while others were openly critical towards the conditions.

However, many in the paddock including Lewis Hamilton and Martin Brundle disagreed with drivers complaints.

Logan Sargeant struggling out of the car at the Qatar Grand Prix 2023 (Photo credit: Williams Racing) — Logan Sargeant retired from the Qatar GP after dehydration. (Photo credit: Williams Racing)

Hamilton said: “This is an extreme sport, and we are paid very highly for what we do, and from my perspective when I’ve not been feeling great at the end of the race, I’ve just got to train harder and that’s how it’s been for me.”

“You don’t have marathon runners who are passing out after the marathon saying you have got to make it shorter.”

Despite no longer being a main topic in F1, Toto Wolff has spoken in agreement with his driver.

His comment comes in response to drivers increasingly complaining about overheating tyres.

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While Pirelli is aware of the issue, they have said it is down to the teams. 2023 saw teams create ground effect cars with more turbulent air to reduce overtaking.

Despite investigating a change to the compound, the research and construction may mean tyres are not ready until 2025.

“I’d like to have races like Qatar where you just go flat out.”

With this in mind, Wolff believes Qatar offered the solution to stop DRS trains and stop the F1 spectacle.

Asked about his concerns by Autosport, he said: “I wouldn’t see it negatively here in November in Abu Dhabi. We have got to wait and see what happens in Bahrain next year, and how the season is going to pan out.

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“Let’s wait to see how it goes, and I think let’s see how the Pirelli tyres are going to handle next year’s cars. But, at the end when you’re looking, overtaking has gotten worse.

“It’s all about thermal management. So, I’d like to have races like Qatar where you just go flat out.”

Lewis Hamilton in the gravel at the Qatar GP 2023 (Photo credit: F1) — The Qatar Grand Prix was Hamilton’s only retirement. Toto Wolff was also not at track during the weekend. (Photo credit: F1)

Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola has discussed the paradox of F1 tyres in the past. He does not want to create tyres that are too durable due to drivers pushing 100%. While seen as a solution, Isola thinks this will create no divergence for the lead.

He added: “We need to take the right time to discuss it properly, involving the teams and their strategists because, when you change, for example, the level of degradation, the risk is that we have all the races on one stop, all the teams doing the same strategy.”

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