Wolff admits Mercedes neglect during years of F1 dominance

Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes did not pay much attention topit-stops during its run of Formula 1 success - with the team nowwell behind rival squads. Between 2014 and 2021, Mercedes oftenheld such an advantage over the field that any strategy mistake orslow pit-stop could be wiped out by the performance of the car.However, as the field has converged in the ground effects era,quick pit-stops are more vital than ever, although Mercedes islagging well behind other teams. Red Bull and McLaren have becomethe class-leaders, with the latter holding the world record after a1.80s stop for Lando Norris in the Qatar Grand Prix, with Wolffconceding that Mercedes has fallen well behind. "Our mindset forthe last 12 years was that we don't need to be World Champions inpit-stops, we just need to avoid slow pit-stops," Wolff told mediaincluding RacingNews365. "It is coming to a situation now where werealise because it has become so competitive, we just need to rampour game out there. "In terms of equipment and science around it,we will be making a step up to [be better] than three-and-a-halfseconds."