Wolff demands crucial Mercedes mindset change

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff wants to see a key "mindset" change in the team's approach to pit stops after losing out during the United States Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton spent the longest total time out of the top three drivers in the pit lane, with both of his pit stops taking 3.6 and 3.4 seconds.

Red Bull's fastest stops were a second quicker by contrast, clocking in at 2.4 seconds and 2.5 seconds for Max Verstappen.

It is a factor that Hamilton - who was later disqualified - believes played a role in him losing out to Verstappen, along with the strategy indecision over whether to continue on the one-stop in the first stint before a switch was eventually made.

"Our mindset in the last 20 years was that we don't need to be world champions in pit stops, but we need to avoid very slow pit stops," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.

"It's come to a situation now where we realise it has become so competitive and we just need to ramp up our game out there.

"In terms of equipment and science around it, and the way we are set up, to avoid three-and-a-half-second pit stops because all of that played a factor."

McLaren recently broke the world record for the fastest F1 pit stop during the Qatar Grand Prix, with Lando Norris being stationary for just 1.82 seconds.