Why Mercedes needs new drivers before F1 comeback

The return of Mercedes is coming...but their drivers could put all that at risk.
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In this video, we dive into the latest turmoil at Mercedes F1, exploring the intense dynamics between teammates and the potential need for a complete lineup overhaul. With tensions running high, we'll uncover why a fresh driver roster might be the only solution. The buzz around Lewis Hamilton's possible move to Ferrari is creating waves, and we'll discuss how this could impact Mercedes' fan loyalty and brand identity. Is Mercedes prepared to thrive without its star driver? We'll analyze the team's ongoing struggles with car performance, especially the problematic W15 model, and the recent controversies surrounding their new front wing design, which even attracted a protest from Red Bull.
Toto Wolff, the team's principal, is under immense pressure to steer Mercedes through this transitional phase without the foundational support from the early 2010s. We'll examine the strategic decisions and leadership challenges that lie ahead, highlighting how crucial this period is for the team's future. Exciting future prospects are also on the horizon, from rumors about Max Verstappen joining Mercedes to the development of promising young talents like Kimi Antonelli.
Join us for an in-depth look at what’s next for Mercedes F1, including how they plan to overcome their current disarray and reclaim their former glory. Will Mercedes manage to bounce back and compete at the top level again? What does the future hold for their drivers and team strategy? Don’t miss out on the latest updates and insider insights!
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The Return of Mercedes
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• Why Mercedes needs new...
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Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, "fair use" is allowed for things like criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is when a copyright law lets you use something in a way that would otherwise be against the law. In some scenes, race footage from the Formula 1 calendar is used whose rights belong to FOM. Other photos and news items are only used to help the original content.

[@LawVS]

Climb the ladder with me on Patreon: patreon.com/lawvs My socials: linktr.ee/lawvs Thanks to Kaitlin for inspiring this video: www.tiktok.com/@kaitlin_aria

[@Thaumaturge2251]

When Team LH comes into contact with Ferrari the fireworks are going to be spectacular.

[@MrPeterheveran]

Ask Prost how Ferrari handles public criticism.

[@dragonfire4957]

Zzzzzzzzz diva lewis

[@pookachu64]

Yeah he's a mong who doesn't speak Italian. It ain't going to work

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

@@MrPeterheveran Did he call his car a truck or a tractor, I forget.

[@pr3cious193]

​@@pookachu64Lewis haters not hesitating to show their racism as usual

[@legoferrari14]

7:15 counterpoint, Red Bull Ring last year. Lewis was bemoaning their performance that race _so much_ that Toto straight up told him, and I quote: "Lewis the car is bad, we know; please drive it." If that isn't a 'shut up and drive' callout then I don't know what is in F1 radio etiquette.

[@LawVS]

Oh yes that was a head turner but I believe he quickly apologised

[@visionproductionsnz7828]

The incessant moaning was a bit much after seven years of domination. "Just drive the car Lewis", the pressure on Sir will be higher when he is dressed in red.

[@daveruda]

@@visionproductionsnz7828 yeah as if having a good car in the past should just make him happy with a bad car now? Just imagine the radio calls Max would give if he suddenly was back in 8th and stuggling every race. He would not shut up about it either. No racer should

[@AllahIzafag730]

​@@daverudaIt absolutely should make up for having a shite car now

[@cameronfarrell9076]

​@@daveruda max is already complaining when he's in the top 5

[@barretmarshall]

Man you’re a content machine. I believe you’re the leading F1 voice right now. Sky or f1 tv would be so lucky to have you as a commentator.

[@streetwaxtv]

For real

[@jamat616]

Pls no, more people need this on the internet

[@jiboo6850]

heck no have some respect man yuk. 🤮

[@yesfinallygot1]

best toto impression in the business

[@williamwade7059]

At the race in Canada Lewis came out the pitstop on Hards and George was on the mediums. Even a DTS convert like me knew that LH was toast.

[@chrisliddiard725]

Should have put him on the softs.

[@thebluewren]

Russell cracks under the pressure of a podium.

[@The_MostHigh]

Russell cracked a 7 times world champion

[@TheSlowoldman]

@@The_MostHigh and passed him in Canada for the last podium spot.

[@RockSolitude]

I love it when no-nothings continue to spread nonsense narratives

[@JC-lu4se]

@@RockSolitude Let's say you can tell the rough age and knowledge of F1 from the comments they make.

[@AvomaF1]

????

[@Steve46567]

RedBull back to complaining about Mercedes to FIA, yeah Mercedes is back bois.

[@luisnavarro5298]

One podium and they’re back lmao

[@pr3cious193]

​@@luisnavarro5298lol remember spain last year, they said Mercedes were back too

[@charles-davidberube1174]

The 2 previous comments clearly didn’t get the joke or started watching f1 after 2021 😂

[@luisnavarro5298]

@@pr3cious193 when Russell won in Brazil they were back too lol, it just never ends

[@GloomGaiGar]

yeah so is McLaren though lol

[@DB-a-Boeing-Dr]

As a few Ferrari drivers have found out the hard way, most notably Prost, you dont drive a Ferrari, you drive for Ferrari and I think LH will struggle with that. As much love as the tifosi and Ferrari will show complete love and support for the drivers if LH makes the same complaints and accusations when he is at Ferrari the tifosi will quickly turn on him as the Ferrari brand is loved far more. Even Michael Schumacher discovered this in the race where Barrichello was ordered by the team on the last lap to let Schumacher past for the win. The tifosi blamed Schumacher not the team even after it was revealed Schumacher on the radio said no and the team insisted this happen.

[@19megamustaine85]

Ungreatful of them Schumacher won them the most by far ,did they also blame Alonso for the german gp 2010 ?

[@chrispraz877]

If Lewis wins it will all be moot.

[@aoife1122]

@@chrispraz877 IF he wins, that is... forty-somethings do not win F1 races, at least hey haven't in the last 30 years. (And Nigel Mansell only won by "accident", when Messrs Schumacher and Hill had their infamous "come-together" in Adelaide, '94. Other than that we'll have to go back all the way to 1970, Jack Brabham in South Africa)

[@canismajoris6733]

​@@aoife112240 something's haven't been in cars that fast either... He might win

[@aoife1122]

@@canismajoris6733 Fernando? The Aston was arguably one of the fastest cars on the grid in the the early part of last season and P2 was the best he could pull off. Now, imagine him having had to deal with a teammate of Leclerc's caliber rather than the dud that is Lance Stroll. ;)

[@Eagleracer38x]

I do think Toto is already thinking of Mercedes without Lewis or George. IDK how long George has based on his body language and total disinterest in listening to George even now. He's got his #1 driver coming soon, I think he's looking for who will be the #2 driver now. I think George should be given a real shoot, but I don't see it happening.

[@Scavs_Inc]

He fold under pressure every time he has had an opportunity for wins or podiums. He is having his shot now.

[@Eagleracer38x]

@@Scavs_Inc I disagree. He's not been listened to at all, until Lewis tells Toto to give George's setup ideas a chance.

[@leandronogueira6046]

​@@Scavs_Inc did you start watching F1 this year? George fumbles every opportunity of a win or podium? The first time he had a winning car he delivered it in Brasil 2022. Yes he bottled it this win but dont say that he bottles every opportunity lol

[@TheSlowoldman]

@@leandronogueira6046 Actually the FIRST time George had a winning car was Sakhir when he substituted for Lulu in Hamilton's car.... He was WINNING the race until Toto sabotaged him with mismatched tires in the pitstop. He would have won the first time driving Lulu's car.... George will be a different driver when Hamilton heads to Ferrari. (Hoping CLC drives Hamilton into retirement)

[@Scavs_Inc]

@@leandronogueira6046no. Been watching since 1998. But obviously you have been watching.. say… since Lewis started driving for Mercedes? I must be close.

[@ohdearabier8280]

I fully agree with your point about George's inexperience of fighting at the front! It is what I have also tried to tell people about Leclerc often times. Yes fair enough Leclerc has more experience than Russell and Norris but he's still not been at the front very often! The poor guy drains his cars like a mad man and tries everything he can only to be booed at because he makes the odd mistake. Max Verstappen himself was fighting at the front at times all the way from 2016 up until 2021 and obviously beyond and even in 2021 where he had many, many seasons under his belt and was more than experienced enough to take a title challenge he still did some small, odd mistakes! Maybe no driver will ultimately have the consistency Max has had over the past few years but I think it would be unfair to say that Verstappen is a league above Leclerc, Norris and Russell. All of them just have far less experience at how to handle being at the front and I feel like that might be the doom for some of them ultimately maybe never becoming a world champion just because Max is around and will have always had an experience advantage. I hope it will balance out in the coming seasons but I'm really worried about those three dudes because they have such massive talent and deserve equal success to Verstappen but I fear that at the very least one of them will probably never have it which would be a real shame.

[@-._.-._.-Sully-._.-._.-]

That’s the exact reason I have been heavily against putting Antonelli in the Williams for a years or two. I think fighting at the back of the field in a bad car with the lower rated drivers only causes poor racing habits and has effected George’s entire driving style.

[@givemeabreak8784]

Don't be afraid money are talking days and I'm sure they want to be world champions but they all sleep well looking to the numbers with a lot of zeros in the bank hence they are friends in some shape or form.

[@ohdearabier8280]

@@-._.-._.-Sully-._.-._.- I agree with you being heavily against putting Antonelli in the car next year already but I'd disagree with your reason as to why. First off I think it is incorrect as I believe Williams will be right in the mix of the midfield by next year and also I believe in a backmarker team sometimes your performances can really shine if for some reason you end up in P10 with the 9th fastest car and only 1 DNF. So I do see the point of being at the back of the field too but still I don't want Antonelli in any car by next year already.... It doesn't look good for that unfortunately :(

[@Rapide568]

This is a nice comment. It's one thing to be quick on one lap. It's another thing to fight at the front win a race. And it's an entirely other thing to fight for a championship.

[@mbomba4415]

Gorge has always been under presssure.Always having to prove himself.Thats why he makes mistakes

[@kylem324]

I wonder how aware George is that Merc is headhunting drivers that will take his seat.

[@pr3cious193]

Yeah he's oblivious

[@TheSlowoldman]

@@pr3cious193 obliviously outdriving your favorite.

[@johnbenoy7532]

i dont think merc is trying to get rid of him. if they manage to sign max, it will antonelli who gets the axe, not George.

[@RockSolitude]

You can't seriously believe this, right? Good grief how stupid has the F1 community become?

[@johnbenoy7532]

@@bniceuk8207 dont be delusional mate. kimi is good and all, but i think you are underestimating how good George is. he is one among 3 f1 drivers (besides piastri and leclerc) who won f3 and f2 in one season. also george is known quantity. he beat the "GOAT" (debatable) in lewis and did plenty of amazing things in that soapbox of a Williams. kimi at this point has done well in f3 and well enough in "private" testing. he is far from a known quantity. do you think that toto would get rid of George just like that after developing and investing in him for over 6 years? besides its not like kimi has blown away the competition in f2 or anything. he's beat his teammate, that something ig but not anywhere near ppl are hyping him up to be.

[@MarioLaubacher]

Ahem. Tifosi aren't specific to Ferrari. Tifosi is the term for hardcore Italian sport supporters, it originated in football and nowadays is used in multiple sports.

[@abel6846]

Ahem. And in F1 the term is reserved for Ferrari fans, and has been for a long time. Your point is moot.

[@MarioLaubacher]

@@abel6846 BS. "Reserved"? If VCARB ever came close to winning championships, their fans would also be refered to as tifosi. It's a generic term, not the name of a dedicated fan club. It's the equivalent of saying "ultras" is reserved for Arsenal's fans.

[@frankbieser]

Can't really blame Mercedes for favoring Russell over Lewis at this point. They were blind-sided by Lewis, and he isn't going to be there next year so he can't contribute anything to next year's car, or more importantly, the 2026 car. If I were Toto, I'd have paid Lewis for the year, bench him, and start training up Antonelli. There's little hope Mercedes will move up the order, or back down at this point, so it wouldn't really cost them much. Yes, Lewis has a lot of fans (who will follow him to Ferrari), but given Mercedes didn't want to give him the brand ambassador job Lewis wanted, I'd say they weren't really that concerned about Lewis' stock value. Next year with Lewis at Ferrari will be.... interesting.

[@mjv97]

I won’t argue that most Merc fans are really LH fans, Toto needs to hope that Merc can hold onto some of them next year. If he benches LH, they all leave. Toto is in a bad spot.

[@RockSolitude]

@@mjv97 can you tell me again why would Mercedes F1 be in a "bad spot" because all the TeamLH fans will leave? Oh right, you can't because the only thing they're good for is some merch sales which aren't all that important in the grand scheme of running a freaking F1 team.

[@RockSolitude]

Actually, they were willing to give Lewis his ambassador role but perhaps not at the ridiculous demands that Lewis set (which included a seat on the board of Mercedes itself and something like 20 million a year for 10 years for his ambassador role which would amount to doing basically nothing). The VP I believe even said so. Heck, not even Ferrari gave Lewis such a sky-high deal and that still includes a brand ambassador role.

[@mjv97]

@@RockSolitude I meant in terms of fan support, not on track. Your point around merch sales, fan interest, etc., I intuitively agree with. But the whole Danny Ric craziness suggests that I’m missing something about fan engagement. And LH fan following dwarfs Danny Ric. Perhaps the sponsors are more “giving” when there is a fan favorite among the drivers.

[@tiagoferreira5368]

I think Mercs is fine with Russel and Kimi. Russel is good and has extremely good one lap pace. Kimi is doing okay in F2 given it's his first year, skipped F3 and is only 17. Plus next year if he gets the Mercedes seat he will a get a year of no pressure to get used to Formula 1. Remember that Kimi driver for the same team as Bearman and Bearman is looking like a clown in F2

[@JC-lu4se]

What's Kimi done exactly? Sure his junior career is excellent, but we simply don't know what he can do in F1.

[@HarvinGwin-kr1ry]

George gets a bit tight when the air is thin. 16:47

[@benjaminjohnston2125]

Definitely don't think Merc are sabotaging Lewis's car, maybe they aren't treating him as highly as George but why should they Lewis is leaving them for Ferrari. Also (10:17) I couldn't see max replacing George rather see him partnering him.

[@jeanmakita3839]

Agreed. Lewis will be fine and so will Merc. Drama merchants are everywhere.

[@geertwilders4806]

Yes team LH is actually crazy

[@rensvanderploeg1945]

Stop talking sense! 🤓

[@The_MostHigh]

I would say that Mercedes will be lucky to hold onto George as he is currently 1-1 in seasons vs a 7 times world champion and looking good to beat him 2-1. If George gets an offer from McLaren/Ferrari/Red Bull i cannot see him staying at a crumbling team.

[@benjaminjohnston2125]

@@The_MostHigh true I do rather George very highly, I think if toto stays in charge at Mercedes then George will stay since their relationship is very good. Merc should be back in 2026 🤞🤞

[@jordanw24]

Just shows you how truly amazing Max is when he went up against the 7-time champion and took him down… He showed how to take it to the top guy and hold his own week after week.

[@connarcomstock161]

The problem AMG is having is that they basically have had to compete for the first time and it's something they've taken the better part of 3 seasons to figure out.

[@MahF1V10]

"I don't know what it is, but it feels like my car can't out qualifying Charles."- LH 2025

[@markmcardle2268]

Tifosi isn't a nickname, it's just "fans" in Italian.

[@daphneschuring5810]

And Hamilton is complaining about getting an upgrade and then complaints when he doesn't get an upgrade he doesn't want.

[@mjv97]

@@bniceuk8207 he’s not making it up. I believe it was for Monaco. They had one new front wing and Lewis was offered the wing but he passed as there weren’t any spares and he didn’t want to risk breaking a wing and switching to the old spec. Then he complained that George had the new wing

[@daphneschuring5810]

@@bniceuk8207 Just 2 Grand Prix

[@sparkieT88]

I don't know if I have ever seen a Mercedes fan, only Lewis fans, or George fans, or niko fans. The only thing I see online is all the Lewis fan blame Mercedes for all his mistakes and troubles

[@josealvarez-lv7iu]

Chronically online probs

[@johnbenoy7532]

the team lh subreddit is pure gold right now.

[@toolegittoquit_001]

#teamLH 😂

[@TheSlowoldman]

#LHcult

[@Billy_McLovin_Hope]

Hello, I'm a Mercedes fan, Lamilton (L. Hamilton) is my boi (as Law says about Piastri) but I am sticking with The Silver Arrows even in 2025 because I'm a massive simp for Mercedes-Benz.

[@Ph0enix7373]

It will be hilarious if Mercedes becomes dominant again right after Lewis leaves

[@composedlight6850]

they will need 2 good drivers LOL

[@rensvanderploeg1945]

@@composedlight6850 Please do not wake them up. They are nasty when awake.

[@quigglyz]

Hope so.

[@desshinnick9365]

Kimi in F2 is getting better race by race, and outperforming his team mate, Ollie Bearman, by a long way. It will be great to see him in F1.

[@RockSolitude]

except at Monza where Bearman was hard done by some pretty bad luck and strategy. No, he does not deserve a shot at F1 already. It's silly.

[@stableianF1oracle]

The Tifosi are going to be so depressed next year 😂😂😂

[@fgkvlgmvll.jdjdic]

Utter disappointment for them

[@jiboo6850]

you're so dumb.

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

I predict that Lewis will do well at Ferrari

[@stableianF1oracle]

@@gerarduspoppel2831 If doing well means coming 5th or 6th each race then yes he will do well.

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

@@stableianF1oracle they came in 3 and 4. Lewis had the fastest Lap. George has led the race. That is quite a good weekend. If you look at where they where at the beginning of the year. Very well done

[@14rs2]

This all started when in 2022 Hamilton wanted to ditch the Zero Sidepod concept but Russel was pushing to keep it. Mercedes listening to Russel over Lewis so much started the tension.

[@Dam_Noir]

Russell never pushed to keep the zero pod concept, Mercedes technical team did.

[@TaisinViper]

I have no Sympy for Merc or Hamilton these people are supposed to be adults. When RB crashes and burns in the same way I'll have no Sympy for them either. The fact these teams are acting like children just reinforces the idea this is a rich kids sport

[@jondoe1571]

Great point, RB already went through this back in 2014-2016 when they only won a few races but still had crazy amount of podiums but they also acted childish called Mercedes and Ferrari scared because they wouldn’t supply engines. Rb even said they’d leave the sport if the fia didn’t slow Mercedes down.

[@tiredacrobats]

imagine thinking lewis hamilton was a rich kid. i'd be embarrassed to be that dumb.

[@sd5rtgfcdgfdc888]

@@tiredacrobats "The fact these teams are acting like children just reinforces the idea this is a rich kids sport" Learn2read.

[@lzasnw]

@@tiredacrobatshe’s the 1% poor kid out of a sport with 99% rich kids. Imagine thinking motor sports are for plebs 🤭

[@mfavingerfv2202]

@@lzasnwfr ESPECIALLY now in these times. Back then sure a lot of racers came from broke backgrounds. Now if you’re dumping 1000s and 1000s into your kid by age 6 they’ll never make it to F1 let alone other major motorsports

[@maxfeatley9751]

"Have you got a name for mercedes fans?" Yes....annoying (This is a joke 😂)

[@rensvanderploeg1945]

Too late. You find it a joke that they are

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

Amg-ers?

[@MegaDarkness5000]

This just sounds like Lewis is trying to stew the media like he always does. LH loves his media attention.

[@TheSlowoldman]

Sir Nars O' Sist. OBC (Order of British Crashers)

[@rensvanderploeg1945]

What is wrong with that?

[@MegaDarkness5000]

@rensvanderploeg1945 He should be in the Sim like Max and be racing not complaining to the media.

[@karthikpenumetch9300]

@@MegaDarkness5000maybe not in the sim

[@MegaDarkness5000]

@karthikpenumetch9300 If he wants to win he needs that extra sim racing, it's clearly working for Max

[@Games_and_Music]

Mercedes has been going through ein hell. To be honest though, i really don't see a Max/Kimi lineup happening, but maybe the 2026 RBR powertrain is so bad, and Mercedes' is soooo good, then maybe, but otherwise, i don't think so.

[@RockSolitude]

Mercedes nailed the engine regs last time and they were fighting hard for these new ones also, so there's a good chance that Mercedes will come out on top again with their engine. Audi entering into F1 was also conditional on these regs too. They are more of an unknown since its their first time building an F1 engine but they more than have the capability. The only one I see not doing so well on the engine is RBR since they're making their own for the very first time, ever. And maybe Renault since their engines aren't usually the best.

[@GamerKahn]

yes im one of them. i supported Lewis in Mclaren, and when leaves, ill have to go back to Ferrari

[@pr3cious193]

Lets wait until the next couple of races, Mercedes have been doing this since 2022, they'll suck all year and then pull out a really good performance in a race or two where theyre close to the front and then it'll be back to business as usual

[@Belix.Official]

Can’t wait to see Lewis in Scarlet Red 🏎

[@mrfreshkyle1998]

Merc DO NOT need to get rid of Russell

[@unoriginalsyn]

I think bringing Antonelli in would be a big mistake, he's not ready and it would effectively ruin both Antonelli's and Russell's careers not that Toto would care 🤔

[@mackamotorsport2593]

Law, put the names on the second board at the back, that can't be see anyway, on the ladder. Have them down the sides facing the camera. Could even have some on the otherside for the look back shots.

[@chipsawdust5816]

Lando never had a chance to pass Leclerc in Monaco. Charles was saving - well, everyone's tires in that race. He had a lot more pace than he showed. George, as we have seen many times in the past, makes mistakes when he's pushing towards the front. That's one reason why his engineer said "Focus, George, focus" in Canada. George was coming apart, as he does.

[@chrisliddiard725]

In Canada, Russell had the good fortune of a tow, after using Hamilton practice stats to improve his car setup. Were it not for the Tow he had off Albon, Russell would have qualified closer to Hamilton and had 4 cars overtake him in Q3/ 2nd run. What Russells does without Hamiton's practice stats is another ball game. The question is whether Mercedes has a seasoned driver to help them set up the 2026 car. I think that's what Ferrari are looking to Hamilton for. Hamilton is miffed, Mercdes' only sniff of a victory went to Russell who stuffed it. Russell -2 , Hamilton +3, says it all. If those two were working together they would be organized to give each other the tow,. and pull themselves ahead of the rest.

[@TheSlowoldman]

What a load of Hamilhope.

[@chrisliddiard725]

@@TheSlowoldman LOL

[@Billy_McLovin_Hope]

The comments here are proving to me that I could be the only "Mercedes fan." I ain't ditching them because Hamilton won't be there anymore in '25

[@-._.-._.-Sully-._.-._.-]

I’ll still be here with ya, honestly kinda glad team LH is leaving as they were just toxic.

[@Billy_McLovin_Hope]

@@-._.-._.-Sully-._.-._.- That's a big bonus for us Mercedes fans...

[@ntinosgkougkoulias7271]

Me as well. I don't who will be driving for them I just want the silver arrows to be back

[@reallybig4868]

Quick. Someone praise this random 👎

[@HarvinGwin-kr1ry]

Instant gratification feels good. 13:47

[@TC10193]

Were you actually watching 2017-19? The Ferrari was clearly the best car for large parts of those years, they just managed to scupper themselves whenever it looked like they were getting ahead.

[@Rapide568]

I wouldn't agree with that. I'd say that they cars had more distinguishable strengths. Mercedes was exceptionally strong on power tracks (ignoring that PU scandal in '19) while Ferrari exceeded at slower tracks (Monaco and Singapore come to mind). What I do agree is that Ferrari lost out in those years because of their countless mistakes. Mercedes was an incredibly well-oiled machine at that time.

[@TC10193]

Yeah, so as I said, for large parts of those seasons, not all, Merc didn't run away with it as the video said and Ferrari didn't maximise their opportunities.

[@dylanracho3536]

Team LH Tifosi is like a dragon ball fusion but terrifying

[@lzasnw]

How many tifosi are there actually. Like you’re telling me someone with millions of STANS all over the world should be scared of 20,000 tifosi in Monza?

[@RockSolitude]

You think those terminally online TeamLH twitter freaks with pronouns in their bio and the constitution of a soggy weeta-bix would beat the Tifosi? Gimme a break.

[@jasonortega5222]

If Merc gives George a car that can keep pace, his aggressiveness can really challenge max

[@lvdv6851]

Like last race?

[@leandronogueira6046]

​@@lvdv6851tell me what happened in the Brasil sprint in 2022 :)

[@desshinnick9365]

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore! It looks like Mercedes are returning to performing. It's going to make for an interesting year and will likely negatively impact the 'pay to play' drivers of Stroll, Ricciardo and Perez. Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes improving is the worst thing possible for these three. Giving Ricciardo time to find himself in the car when he has been in F1 and VCARB for yonks, and yet Lawson, out of the box, with no experience, made the car sing, and wiped the floor with Ricciaardo, highlights how past it Ricciardo is.

[@stevemw20]

I agree I think Russell won’t be driving for the mercs in 2026.

[@desshinnick9365]

George Russell has shown he's got the goods. Canada was a wet track. Let's not fuel the LH myth that he is getting less of a car. That makes zero sense for Mercedes or any team.

[@rahulsihara8946]

That toto impression is on point ❤

[@UncleFred100]

You have to understand the German mindset. It’s expected in any German company that you are expected to be staunchly loyal, and put the needs and expectations of the company ahead of yours. Similar to an even more intense culture in Japan regarding work and loyalty. When an employee, and I don’t care if it’s a janitor or an F1 driver, shows disloyalty or are not going 110% all the time, you are doomed. History over the last 100 years or so provides pretty stark examples of that… So Lewis sealed his fate when he dissed them and went to Ferrari. George’s intensity is what got him moved up at Mercedes, because he showed he could outshine what he was driving with skill. But now he can’t do that, as expectations are higher, and he can only wring out what he can with the car he is given. Toto has been very open about his displeasure with the car, so I really wouldn’t want to be working at Mercedes right now…I’m sure the pressure on everyone there has to be immense. Scary hard. Not easy for anyone to thrive in such a negative environment, whether George or Lewis or ? And I don’t see it getting any better any time soon…stay away Max…stay faaar away!😉

[@wizzyno1566]

And yet you defend Riciardo? Ffs.

[@LawVS]

For Daniel he needs to accept he isn't the leader and understand his role in order to be effective

[@AndrewinAus]

Toto desperately trying to get Max whilst having a pathway for Kimi could be Phaal Curry level spicy. Especially if Kimi potentially turns out to be the next wonderboy like Max was when he arrived.

[@givemeabreak8784]

The elephant in the room is Max Verstappen who wins races without the fastest car. Toto: I WANT THAT GUY NO MATTER WHAT!! He can please the shareholders and keep everyone else happy . Perhaps George will learn a few tricks from Max. Maybe they will be the best pals.

[@DiscoStu65-sj6pu]

Ladder Toto should have a spinoff channel 😂

[@glen.s9860]

I do love how you put every thing, But let face it If your No1 future driver get beaten by your driver that is on his way out, it won't look good so what is the answer SABOTAGE so this is what is happening If you are in the car trade as a tech you will know how easy it is

[@joshtheking1772]

I prefer to look at the elephant in the room rather than go on speculation. Ever since Russell came to Mercedes, things went from bad to worse. They were better off with Bottas. Wolff needs to be handed his walking papers.

[@midas7394]

Russell is not capable of winning a race under pressure. His sole win was only achieved as a result of the BS 'Sprint race' side show interfering with RB's car setup.

[@Dam_Noir]

I'm pretty sure Lewis breathing down George's neck after the safety car restart was pressure enough.

[@charlesjmouse]

Now let me dig in to my memory... Who was the unprofessional SOB on the way out the door who posted team data on line for no reason other than to 'excuse' JB absolutely trouncing him in a qually session... once..? Oh, yes. Funny how history repeats. While we are all capable of learning and growing many of us never do. I wonder what RB or indeed the rest of the world would say if Perez claimed, "The team is sabotaging me!"? Instead he is at least not making excuses, real or imagined, but behaving like a professional and a grown man.

[@Im_helpless]

People can’t fathom the fact that Lewis is past it, they still think he’s in his prime and now in a downfall he’ll do nothing at Ferrari like he’s doing nothing right now

[@bobclarke5913]

I still predict Hamilton will be out of the car before the end of the season, just don't know who will initiate it.

[@pr3cious193]

That's ridiculous lol

[@MrPeterheveran]

I'd say Belgium. Mid season.

[@deanchur]

@@bniceuk8207 They're not competing for the championship nor will they catch Ferrari or McLaren (and Aston won't catch them), so I don't see any harm in them using the rest of the season for training Kimi

[@seashackf1]

I knew long ago that most of those fans were Lewis fans and not Merc fans. I thought Merc figured it out long ago when the Lewis fanboys would hate on them for Lewis having a bad race, quali, etc. I’m in shock they think they will keep most of those fans. We already see them turning against Merc and spewing the narrative Lewis is pushing that the team is now not supporting him. It’s even worse were some call it outright sabotage. Toto’s lack of self awareness and, belief that he created all this and didn’t inherit the success from what Brawn built and most of those fans were actually Merc fans and not just Lewis fanboys is staggering.

[@lmads8023]

Mercedes prioritising the better driver. What a crime. Ironic cult lulu complaining about the team prioritising a driver, when the team absolutely trambled over Bottas

[@nissan300ztt]

George is hardly the better drivers. He caves under pressure. And points are awarded on Sunday not in Quali

[@MLK_Sold_Black_america_out]

George ain't better than lewis 😅😅

[@umungus518]

​@@nissan300zttyoure very correct, and on sundays george has scored 12 more points than lewis this year.

[@nissan300ztt]

@@umungus518 12 points means nothing. George has already proved he likes to crash cars and DNF. Lewis can close that quickly

[@umungus518]

@@nissan300ztt 8-1 in qualifying, 7-2 in races. As you said, points are scored on Sundays and so far George has done better on 7 sundays...

[@Wafflefrieslmdh]

Would love for you to cover this year’s Le Mans!

[@jiggy7108]

9:19 the sprint award is a plaque, not a trophy

[@mrbungle3310]

im not even a lewis fan that much or at all im a ferrari fan at heart,but god is this mercedes breakup horrible from mercs side...lewis won them 6 titles

[@FloridaBoyDan]

FIA announced the rule change that you can now acquire a super license A at 17 yesterday I think.. Antonelli to Merc bout to be official

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Great video keep it up you're doing amazing things 😁👍

[@whiteybester9160]

So true. LH is a Karen and will not make it at Ferrari

[@videophile6761]

The team should be first in queue to hire Newey to compensate for years of brain drain. But somehow aggressive drivers will make up for chassis deficiencies. 🙄

[@abel6846]

So FIA just dropped the ‘must be 18 and need a driver’s license’ requirement. Antonelli in even before summer? (He turns 18 at Monza, so why hurry?)

[@aoife1122]

Toto Wolff wants Max Verstappen, failing that, there will be a "big reset" with Antonelli as "the future of Mercedes". A gamble? Certainly, but one that Wolff seems willing to take. He surely wasn't "moving mountains" to get the kid into Formula 1 as soon as possible only to help Williams out of their "Sargent misery". Either way, it's bad news for George Russell.

[@charlesjmouse]

FWVLIW: With the exception of Ferrari are there ever any fans of any car manufacturer teams? Car companies join F1 for marketing reasons only and always leave just as soon as being in F1 is inconvenient - there is no investment in the sport and in turn fans don't invest in them. This is the primary reason I wish F1 didn't chase car companies like a cheap floosy, only to be used and discarded over and over again.

[@DenUitvreter]

Mercedes handed Hamilton so much glory, and Hamilton has been ungrateful. There is nothing that needs further explanation, we could have seen this coming when Russell was immediately quicker than Bottas by a similar margin as Hamilton. Hamilton saw it coming himself and wanted to keep Bottas as his teammate. Bottas not making an impression outside the mighty Mercedes does not need an explanation either other than how might the Mercedes was. People just make stuff up to keep their myth alive. First is was constitency when Russell was actually faster, then it was Russell's riks taking, as in not remaining stuck behind a much slower car like Hamilton, now it's Russell's mistakes, like Hamilton does make significantly fewer mistakes. That is not the case. And now it's preferential treatment or even sabotage. Also nonsense. The only thing that has changed for Hamilton is the combination of a superior car and a mediocre teammate.

[@miggygetright6344]

The Russell disrespect is crazy

[@TheSlowoldman]

#LHcult

[@Sebassie]

Late video dude! I was beginning to think my day would end LAWless

[@LawVS]

Had some errands to do.

[@markshearer1831]

George finally get his stuff together and out qualified and for the most part finish above his team mate and it's Mercedes are doing Lewis wrong, and George isn't good enough. Be fair Lewis is no longer a Merc man and truthfully the last contract made it clear their was a break up coming and Lewis time with Mercedes was coming to and end. how about Lewis maybe to blame because he isn't fighting for anything he is simply just doing what he needs to to see the season out. It's pretty clear Lewis head is already wearing a red cap. max isn't going anywhere other than maybe choosing to retire and race in VR

[@PatQuakernaat]

Lets talk about the pink elephant. The fact that Lewis appears to have mental issues and gave up as soon as his car wasn't as fast and the inability to even beat his team mate since. If I was paying 40M per year, I would demand Lewis to give his all and demand full (mental) commitment. THAT I think remains a thing missing in British media like yourself, who fail to see Lewis is maybe not as good as they always claimed. Lewis should have stopped after 2021, and if he gets beat by Charles next year he'll run out of excuses and will have burned his "reputation".

[@MrCarrera28]

Why would Mercedes care about fans staying or leaving with Lewis Hamilton? Firstly merchandise sales are irrelevant for a Mercedes factory team and secondly the brutal reality in F1 is that teams other than Ferrari are popular when they win. So if Mercedes are able to design a package that wins championships they will be popular.

[@seashackf1]

Tribalism is has been a part of F1 long before ‘21. I noticed it ramp up to a new level after ‘07 though. On English language sites and forums the British bias toward Lewis and hate of anyone who dared to rival him just for worst and worst. I stopped commenting around ‘13 because it was so bad. I didn’t start commenting again on F1 until around ‘20 when YT F1 content started getting much better. At the beginning of that there was far less tribalism because it was less fanboys and more fans. Once that content exploded the fanboys came in and it has defined devolved. One of the benefits of it on YT is the English language content has a much more diverse viewer so there is far more push back to any British bias than there previously was Uk F1 media sites. It’s also given a voice to those fans who weren’t certain British driver fanboys like our man Law here.

[@stormforce7599]

Mercedes wants a top driver and Russell is just not in that category. Sorry but he was never that good driver that the top teams would give him anything to join them.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

The Tifosi will like who Ferrari tells them to like. Sainz has performed better at times yet the Tifosi did not care for him.

[@lukenoonan3898]

The merc is not the fastest car and hasnt been since 2021. As the car gets closer to the performance of the Redbull and Mclaren/Ferrari they will get better results.

[@russ99a]

How do you learn how to challenge Verstappen? With a car that can keep up. Mercedes has had that for 2 races over the last two years.

[@sirjack528]

Watching the shenanigans that will go on with Lewis Hamilton’s fanbase with the general Ferrari fanbase will absolutely be watched with popcorn.

[@The_ZeroLine]

Russell is a choke artist, but RE: Max, the situation in which they nabbed Lewis is nothing like the current situation.

[@alan1665]

I've always felt that Russell was all hype

[@andrewntoth1]

Mercedes really should've chased Sainz a little bit harder ... watching f2 , I just don't see any spark from Antonelli that makes him stand out more than any other in the top ~5 🤐 .

[@Badgerbadger1]

Honestly I think the LH fanbase is more of a hindrance than a help. Max fans can get a bit out there, but there is a sizable portion of LH fans who get positively deranged if they think he's been slighted in any way, and go bonkers towards teams and other drivers.

[@daniellez.2462]

Another wild take. First Ocon and now Lewis. What do you have against personal responsibility?

[@LawVS]

Lewis is responsible for performing well, yes. But the team is not handling the situation well either. Both parties are meant to work together.

[@Selendeki]

Merc needs Max. They MUST have Max.

[@karlmoltzan6196]

I tbink the 8 ly reason the Lewis move to Ferrari was to stop the backlack FOM was getting from rejecting Andretti. In the end Andretti will be on the grid and FOM will have to pay through the nose.

[@Jr-uh2so]

This has aged well. Haha. I love the sport for this very reason.

[@LawVS]

I'm glad they turned this around

[@DarthTrethon]

Hamilton is getting embarrassed and humiliated by Russell right now...getting beat 7-1 in quali and 6-2 in races is only better than Logan Sergeant's record vs Albon. And I don't care if Russell got a wing early or other such minor squabbles...if Hamilton isn't fast enough to overcome that difference it just means he was never that much faster than Russell and Mercedes just don't need Hamilton anymore. Now you can put whatever tinfoil hat on you like and say it's a conspiracy but next year he'll be racing Leclerc and if he actually is washed he won't fare much better against him than he's doing against Russell. He can make whatever excuses he likes now, and run to the media to cry but there will be nowhere to hide next year.

[@dvs9019]

Meanwhile in Silverstone, the rain which reveals the true skill of each driver showcase Lewis wiping the floor with George and winning the race on merit.

[@AJ-zy9jf]

Dude can't even beat his F2 rookie peers, yes Kimi is definitely ready for F1.

[@stableianF1oracle]

All these excuses from the Lewis girlies. The simple fact is Lewis is slower than George. George is a superior racer. F1 is about now not babbling on that you were good many years ago. 😂

[@samrussell447]

Why are you considering max going to mercedes as a legitimate option? Max has absolutely no reason to do that, why do people act like it's remotely possible

[@LawVS]

He does if the regs prioritise engine power and Mercedes seemingly has the edge.

[@helenlegallais4208]

There seems to be no loyalty from Mercedes at all, so how do you think Russell is feeling with Mercedes looking at bringing max and kimi to the team. However Russell is a fast driver but he isn’t helping himself at the moment with silly mistakes being made and George has also ruffled Lewis’s feathers. Russel needs to up his game so another team will want his services when Mercedes let him go as i have a feeling they will let him go. Russel needs a team like McLaren to nurture him to get the best out of him. Rather than have a team that seems to not want you, it can’t be a nice place for any driver to be at the moment x

[@flaviomonteiro1414]

If everything goes wrong with you and your career you can earn a living by doing Toto's impressions, they never fail to make me laugh 😂😂😂😂

[@phoenixmotorsport647]

"do you have a nickname for Mercedes fans?" - that was a very brave question that could go horribly wrong 😁

[@valecasini]

Well they just need to throw away Osama Bin Russell and they'll have a "totally new line-up! 😅😂