Toto Wolff will be absent from the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix due to health concerns. The head of Mercedes’ Formula 1 team, known for leading the Silver Arrows, has had to miss races previously while recovering from knee surgery.
Having opted out of races before on health grounds, Wolff will sit out the Suzuka event out of caution with a packed 24-race schedule ahead. This is not the first time he has missed the Japanese Grand Prix, having skipped it in 2023 along with the Qatar race. Last year, Wolff had initially planned to miss the same event but changed his decision at the last minute.
In Wolff’s absence, Bradley Lord, the chief communications officer, will step in as Mercedes’ representative at Suzuka, handling Wolff’s usual responsibilities like media interactions. Wolff humorously remarked, “Bradley [Lord] is the team representative – he speaks more carefully than me! It’s a coincidence that I’m missing that again. It’s not the jet lag.”
Mercedes has shown promising results in the early races of the season, with George Russell securing third place in both China and Australia, placing him third in the standings. Meanwhile, rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has achieved fourth and sixth place finishes in his debut season.
Although Mercedes is not dominating as in the past, having won four races last season, McLaren has been setting the pace with two victories. Mercedes is striving to narrow the gap with McLaren, as highlighted by Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, after the Shanghai race.
Shovlin emphasized the need to enhance the car’s performance to match McLaren’s competitiveness. He acknowledged the tight competition at the front, with McLaren, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and Ferrari in contention.
As Suzuka awaits, Antonelli, a newcomer to the circuit, is anticipated to rise to the challenge. Shovlin expressed confidence in Antonelli’s potential, despite it being his first time at the iconic track.
For Formula 1 enthusiasts, live coverage of every session is available through Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, offering comprehensive access to various TV channels and complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
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