Toto Wolff applauds Ferrari: "They looked strong all weekend" | 2024 F1 Azerbaijan GP
09/14/2024 03:48 PM
Scuderia Ferrari on top
The extraordinary qualifying performance by the two Ferrari SF-24 cars in Baku, with Charles Leclerc on pole position and Carlos Sainz in third, did not surprise Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. Analyzing the qualifying session which was held earlier today at the 6.003-kilometre Baku City Circuit, the Austrian manager had words of praise for Ferrari's performance: “Ferrari looked strong all weekend, so we knew it was unlikely we would be fighting for pole position,” admitted Toto Wolff.
Mercedes behind
Focusing instead on his own drivers’ performance, with George Russell setting the fifth-fastest time (though under investigation for a possible yellow flag infraction) and Lewis Hamilton placing seventh, there's not much to smile about in the Anglo-German garage. “Qualifying was frustrating today,” Toto Wolff admitted. “We worked hard overnight to make improvements and thought we could fight for the second row. After the first laps in Q3, it seemed possible. Unfortunately, on our second attempt, we had a poor out lap and lost P3 by just half a tenth of a second.” – the Mercedes team principal pointed out.
“George improved throughout the session and finished P5,” added the Brackley team principal, “while Lewis struggled with tire temperatures and finished P7. We still have work to do tomorrow, but the race is long and our goal is to move up. We don't have a clear idea of where we stand compared to our competitors on long runs, so we'll see what we can do tomorrow.” – Toto Wolff concluded at the end of the qualifying session for the 2024 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
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