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SUZUKA, Japan – Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says he will keep his options open at the Japanese Grand Prix, but plans to avoid the misunderstandings that occurred at the last race in Russia.
Valtteri Bottas was ordered by Lewis Hamilton on lap 25 of the Russian Grand Prix. The decision divided opinion among the fans was made to be more of a winner than one of two.
Wolff claims he went back to where the agreement had been made in the future.
Hamilton starts ahead of Bottoms on the grid at Suzuka, making a repeat of the Sochi situation unlikely, but Wolff said the pre-race briefing would allow for greater flexibility on Sunday.
"I would like to keep the options open for tomorrow and see how the race goes, and we tend to believe, like we did in Sochi, that we can discuss every eventuality.
"We are trying to learn how to have a good time in the world, but it was not a situation we had in a sandwich situation with Sebastian all over Lewis and Verstappen in the front.
"It reminds you that you do not survive in Sochi." "So the discussion is going to be a different one, leaving enough space to take decisions that might be a necessary evil." Hamilton extended his championship lead by 10 points to 50 in Sochi, meaning he could fail to finish two races and still be leading the championship. But Wolff said that would not alter Mercedes' approach and drew comparisons with Hamilton's 2007 title bid with McLaren, which he ultimately lost to Kimi Raikkonen by a single point.
"No, the 50-point gap does not change anything In 2007, two races to go, 45 points between the drivers – in today's points – and he lost the championship. two races?
"Racing happens on Sunday and the quickest because we did not want to win the race. DNF in a freak race and it's all vanished.
Wolff said Mercedes took over the lessons from the Russian Grand Prix, including the way in which the team discusses decisions over team radio. Wolff said it was important to limit it, and it was important that James Vowles make the final decision.
"James flies the airplane and what it is, but it's his decision," he said. "Although with my ranking I am higher up, I will not interfere and it is we call the end of today. [chief race engineer Andrew Shovlin] and I was directed at me, I guess.
"The race support room is back in Brackley is well, but I also have this special button with James Allison [technical director] where we are offloading all the crap and vice-versa, just to not offload it on the guys who are actually flying the plane.
"Unless I am 100 percent convinced that he [Vowles] has not spotted something, I will not give my input and I will not interfere in the final decision. "
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