Wolff: We deal with setbacks together and we move on

In the aftermath of the headline grabbing collision between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff is adamant that the required apologies have been made and the team has moved on from the debacle in Barcelona.

Speaking ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Wolff said, “Clearly, Barcelona was tough to take. We came away upset at an opportunity missed – but this is racing. The drivers know how we operate.”

“The team is responsible for giving them the best possible cars and they are responsible for getting the best out of them – and for bringing them home.”

“When we let them down, we apologise to and the same goes the other way. It’s a pretty normal culture – we deal with setbacks together and we move on,” said the Austrian.

With Monaco looming, both drivers appear to be singing off the same hymn sheet in the wake of their most recent clash.

World champion Hamilton said, “Barcelona was the worst feeling but, like I always say, the true test is how you get back up when you’ve been knocked down. It was a tough moment for all of us after the race but it’s now chapter closed and looking ahead to Monaco.”

Rosberg echoed the sentiments, I was gutted after what happened in Spain for myself, but mostly for the team. We’re in this together and I know how hard everybody works to make these amazing cars, so for us to leave them both in the gravel is the worst possible scenario. But we’ve talked it through and now it’s time to leave it in the past.”

As for Monaco, Wolff is under no illusions regarding the challenges at hand, “Now, we go to Monaco and a very different challenge. Once again, we have seen our competitors make steps forward which have given us an even bigger battle on our hands.”

“Red Bull came out on top in Barcelona after a close fight with Ferrari, so it’s clear that we are under attack from more than one angle. We cannot afford to drop the ball, so we must remain united, remain strong and hit back hard this weekend.”

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