Sports · Motorsport · 21 hrs ago
Wolff says Mercedes slump taught him to change his leadership style
Toto Wolff leads the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
Mercedes won eight constructors’ championships in a row from 2014 to 2021, but struggled to compete regularly for wins after F1 rules changed in 2022.
Wolff said the team expected to win the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix but performed poorly.
After the race, he told a journalist that the car did not deserve to win.
Wolff said technical director James Allison took the comment as criticism directed at him and decided he wanted to leave.
Wolff said he then realized he had to change his approach of applying constant pressure.
He persuaded Allison to stay, and Allison signed a new contract over the winter of 2023-24.
Toto Wolff said Mercedes’ slump after its run of championships taught him to change his leadership style.
He said pressure he placed on technical director James Allison after a disappointing 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix led Allison to consider leaving.
Wolff said he worked over the following weeks to persuade Allison to stay, and Allison signed a new contract over the winter of 2023-24.
Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ championships from 2014 to 2021, but struggled to compete regularly for victories from 2022 to 2025.
Wolff recounted the episode at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore.
- Who
- Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and technical director James Allison.
- What
- Wolff said the team’s slump and Allison’s attempt to leave taught him to adapt his leadership style.
- When
- The episode followed the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix; Wolff discussed it at the 2026 summit.
- Where
- The episode concerned Mercedes; Wolff recounted it in Singapore.
- Why
- Mercedes was underperforming, and Wolff said his constant pressure had contributed to Allison wanting to leave.
Toto Wolff
James Allison
Leadership pressure
Toto Wolff
Wolff said constant pressure and “tough love” had been his way of working, but he had to change.
James Allison
Allison told Wolff he could not take the pressure anymore and was responsible for the technical work.
Response to the slump
Toto Wolff
Wolff said he had to adapt his style to the situation.
James Allison
Allison said he was already putting pressure on himself to make the team successful.
Fundamentally I had to change
I couldn’t continue what was my modus operandi over 30 years: constant pressure, constant pressure, constant pressure and the notion of tough love.
A few years ago we won eight constructor championships in a row and suddenly the regs changed and we really crashed down.
Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles.
Mercedes struggled to compete regularly for victories during the ground effect rules era.
After a disappointing race, Wolff said the car did not deserve to win, and Allison decided he wanted to leave.
Wolff worked to persuade Allison to stay.
Allison signed a new contract with Mercedes.
Wolff recounted the episode at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore.
- Constructors’ titles
- Eight consecutive, from 2014 to 2021
- Drivers’ titles
- Seven during Mercedes’ dominant period
- Rules era
- Ground effect rules, 2022-2025
- Race linked to resignation attempt
- Brazilian Grand Prix, 2023
- Allison’s new contract
- Signed over winter 2023-24
- Summit
- Milken Institute Asia Summit 2026, Singapore
Sources
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