Wolff admits Mercedes are not in running for F1 titles after Bahrain blows

The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has conceded that his team and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton are not in contention for the Formula One world championship after the season’s opening race in Bahrain. Hamilton has acknowledged that the team have no quick fix for the fundamental problem afflicting their car as they struggle to get the best out of it in the season’s initial meetings.

The somewhat shocking admission from the previously all-conquering Mercedes squad who have won the last eight consecutive constructors’ championships and seven of the last eight drivers’ titles comes after their competitive position in this season’s F1 field was confirmed in Bahrain, with Mercedes some way off the pace of Ferrari and Red Bull.

Ferrari took a superb one-two victory with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the race on Sunday. Hamilton and his teammate George Russell were third and fourth, but in positions that flattered to deceive. They took the places after both the Red Bulls of reigning champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez suffered fuel system-related retirements late in the race.

Up until that point the position of both Mercedes cars had been fifth and sixth. Moreover they were well off the pace of the two leading teams. At just over mid-distance the four front-runners had over a 15-second advantage over both Mercedes’, with Leclerc in front, a full 30-seconds up on Hamilton.

Mercedes had been fully aware they were struggling, their car suffering from the downforce stalling-related problem known as porpoising. With the evidence from Bahrain, Wolff acknowledged that until they solve the issue they are currently in no position to mount a challenge.

“If you look at the pecking order today it seems a very