Abu Dhabi: Mercedes Executive Director Toto Wolff was all praise for Lewis Hamilton after the Briton won his 2014 Drivers’ Championship but he was confident that Nico Rosberg would make a comeback strongly next season.
“There is no doubt that Lewis is an enormous talent and you can see that with 11 race victories. Don’t expect Nico to give up and not to come back. He has got to lick his wounds and try to learn for next year and bounce back,” said Wolff, adding, “but both of them have grown as personalities and as drivers this year. I think both of them are going to be great competitors and fighting each other next year.”
Wolff also hailed the team work of the entire Mercedes camp saying: “Making Lewis was an effort of a team and everyone had a role to play. We had a great journey and for Lewis, it’s a second title but won 16 races this season and that’s in itself a great achievement. It is because of support of many sitting in front of us and hundreds behind,” said Wolff, who added that the team party started lightly but then went up until 3am though they ‘didn’t damage the nightclub but damaged ourselves’.
Mercedes boss warned that the dominance of his drivers would continue in the next season saying, “Lewis did well in the race and Nico has beaten him in qualifying, so expect them to race hard and fight each other next year,” asserted Wolff, who was also a bit dejected that the finale didn’t rise to the expectations.
“We worked so hard to make the cars reliable and there was so much diligent work in the background and then we have a problem on a car.
“I don’t think it would have changed the outcome as Nico had a really bad start and the odds were against him at that stage anyway. Both cars finishing the race one-two would have been better, but it is arrogant to say that. We must be happy we have a worthy World Champion.”
Wolff was also confident that his wards will keep their race differences aside and continue to remain friends off the track.
“It was intense and it is going to be intense next year, we are going to have ups and downs, situations which are going to be difficult to manage. But if two drivers are fighting for a World Championship in the same team you cannot expect harmony all the time. However, there is also a history and relationship between the two of them and they respect each other and honour each other.”
