Contradicting Toto Wolff’s Harsh Scrutiny, Lewis Hamilton Relishes Las Vegas GP “Blast”

There have been a few storylines in Formula 1 that have all converged in a way akin to Greek Mythology. If a team has reached dominance and stayed on that perch for too long, they fall from the top rather quickly and in a grand manner, much like Icarus. In the past, it’s been Ferrari after Michael Schumacher, but now, it’s the eight-time constructors’ champions who are cleaning up the remnants of their glory days.

Mercedes have had a dismal year in 2023 and have not been able to escape the choice they made in 2022 with the ‘zero-pod’ design. And Toto Wolff has had enough with the Brackley outfit’s run of poor results, calling the W14 a ‘terrible’ challenger. However, it takes more than a shaky qualifying session to upset Lewis Hamilton when it comes to the Las Vegas GP weekend.

Lewis Hamilton is all smiles after a successful restart to the Las Vegas GP

When the FIA announced that Free Practice 1 wasn’t going to resume, the team bosses, including Dr. Helmut Marko, feared that they would not get enough run-time in FP2. Toto Wolff had also been vocal about the troubles that the former champions were expecting. However, once the racers started to light up the Vegas Strip, the action was back on! The session saw Charles Leclerc lead the pack into the unknown with a 1.35.265.

Whilst the usual pole-sitter, Verstappen, was down in 6th, Lewis Hamilton was not too far off from the reigning champion. The Briton had slotted the W14 in 9th by the time the session ended and looked more energetic than other drivers. Earlier, drivers such as Kevin Magnussen and George Russell had shared just how much of a struggle the calendar can be for the driver’s sleep.

But it seems to not affect Hamilton. He was quoted in a Tweet, “I had a blast! Everyone was struggling with the jet lag and stuff and I feel really great! I just watched a movie in between the break. I’m ready to go again!” 

The 38-year-old was still amped up as ever and called out other drivers who were down with jet lag. It’s good to see at least one of the drivers happy to be there after Lando Norris joined in on Verstappen’s mockery of the event.

READ MORE: “Racing Comes Second”: Lewis Hamilton Sidelines F1 to Reveal Main Source of Inspiration

Unfortunately for the LH Army, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows the way Hamilton puts it. The Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff, has lost his patience with the team’s performance this season.

Toto Wolff doesn’t share Hamilton’s optimism about their chances

When Lewis Hamilton finished second on the podium in Mexico, the LH Army rejoiced, hoping it was finally time for the Silver Arrows to get back to winning ways. But with the Las Vegas GP throwing the teams into circles, the team bosses are worried about their set-ups, especially Toto Wolff.

He shared during the FIA Press Conference on Thursday, “We just need to do a better job to be competitive. The season was a rollercoaster, up and down. Some very promising races, like in Austin and Mexico, which we could have won – but could have is not enough. And then Brazil. So, I hope we can end it on a more positive note.”

The Austrian boss went on to reflect on a season that’s been full of surprises. Whether it was Hamilton’s disqualification after a well-deserved podium in Austin, or it was his redemption finish in Mexico, the Briton has managed to keep Mclaren and Ferrari at bay, both of which have looked formidable.

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This is why it’s safe to say that Toto Wolff is all doom and gloom about F1’s trip to Sin City. However, only time will tell if the Brackley outfit can overcome their struggles and hold on to the second spot – Ferrari is only trailing them by 20 points!