The Formula 1 circus had just wrapped up its big show in Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix. The legendary Circuit of The Americas witnessed yet another thrilling race, with Max Verstappen narrowly edging out Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (but unfortunately he got DQed post-race). But the story that had everyone talking wasn’t just about the duel at the front, but about what was happening behind the scenes in the pit lane. And a little sneak peek: Toto Wolff said something. Fans agree, but with major criticism.

Mercedes, a team that has dominated the turbo-hybrid era of F1, seemed to be facing a consistent issue with their pitstops. During the race, Hamilton had two pitstops, both of which were unusually slow by F1 standards: 3.6 and 3.4 seconds, respectively. To put this into perspective, Alpine managed to change all four tires in just 2.2 seconds during the race. These delays in the pit lane can make the difference between standing at the top step of the podium or rueing what might have been.

The slower pitstops have been a consistent pattern for Mercedes in recent times, an Achilles heel in an otherwise (seemingly) well-oiled machine. Wolff, the man at the helm of Mercedes‘ F1 operations, addressed this issue post-race. He acknowledged the need to ramp up their game in the pitstop department, not just in terms of human precision but also the equipment and science around it. His words seemed to suggest that while they had been dominant, they didn’t prioritize being the fastest in the pit lane. But now, with the competition so fierce, they can no longer afford such luxuries.

Adding to the drama was Hamilton’s own take. The seven-time champ felt that better pitstops would have put him in a stronger position to challenge Verstappen for the win. He was candid about the team’s struggles over the weekend, from the starts to the pitstops, admitting that there were areas of improvement.

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Now, with all this laid out, the reactions from the fans make a lot more sense. They’ve been watching their beloved Mercedes, struggle with something as fundamental as pitstops, and now with Wolff’s acknowledgment, the floodgates of pent-up frustrations, sarcasm, and opinions have opened wide.