After managing several tense situations between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, respectively champion and runner-up in 2014, the executive director of Mercedes AMG fully expects to encounter such moments again during the upcoming Formula 1 season.
“I think it's going to be harder than last year, honestly”, admitted Wolff during a conference call in which Auto123.com participated. “It's critical to manage it well. We are very conscious that in having two Number 1 drivers, it's much more difficult to go for such a set-up rather than having a clear Number 1 and Number 2. But we believe that for the team, in terms of performance and development, it's more efficient to have the input of two drivers.” “Both of them have developed, both have looked at their weaknesses over the winter, both clearly know where they need to improve”, he added regarding his Hamilton-Rosberg duo. “I have no doubt that it is going to become more intense in the coming season.”
Indeed, the Briton and the German crossed swords (on track and elsewhere) several times during the 2014 season. Most notably in Monaco and in Hungary, lest we forget their collision in Belgium which set off a major internal crisis at Mercedes. Each driver publicly acknowledged his error while Mercedes tightened the rules. “We've also learned our lessons”, Wolff told Auto123.com. “We involve the drivers very much in our so-called rules of engagement, we define them together, we develop those rules. It's a dynamic process, it's not set in stone. I have no doubt we will have challenging situations in the coming year.” “Our two drivers know very well what we expect of them, they know very well that we do not want to see risky manoeuvres because the storm that comes afterwards consumes too much energy. It is a list in development, that grows, that changes. There is not only one item but several items where we can do better.” “For example, the precision of the radio communications with the drivers is important”, explained Wolff. “That is a field where we can be much more clear and transparent. It's something we have added to the list.” “I think we are going to see new levels of performance between the two, and this is a great advantage for the team because they will be pushing each other to new heights. It's good for us and it's good for the fans. It gives me a little bit more grey hair to manage the two of them, but I'm doing that consciously!” In regards to the 2015 championship, Mercedes will try to defend its Constructors' title against the attacks of Red Bull and Ferrari, who seem to have made substantial gains during pre-season testing. “It's a new phase for the team because we are no longer outsiders, we are the team to beat”, Wolff pointed out. “There is a cross on our backs and everyone is trying to shoot at us.” “But to develop ourselves, to motivate ourselves, to remain at the top, those are important things for the team. We have to continuously reinvent and try to better ourselves.”
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