Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has said Formula 1 mustn’t introduce measures specifically to slow dominant teams, or it risks becoming "scripted" like WWE. Red Bull is enjoying one of the most dominant stretches ever witnessed in F1, winning 15 straight races, including all 14 in the 2023 season, as of the Italian Grand Prix as it threatens to sweep the season. Additionally, Max Verstappen has won the last 10 races to set a new record for the most consecutive Grand Prix wins in F1 history. The Dutchman, along with his squad, has been largely unchallenged this year - leading to complaints that the sport has become too boring and predictable. Mercedes was last able to fight Red Bull in 2021 but has slipped back in the pecking order since the introduction of the new ground effects technical regulations for 2022.
‘F1 is a meritocracy’
Despite being unable to compete with Red Bull, Wolff says that Mercedes isn’t pushing for regulation changes to slow down their opponents. "As a Team Principal, I don't want to jump on the bandwagon that others have done in the past of saying: 'We need to change the regulations because we can't continue with the dominance of a team'," Wolff told media including RacingNews365. "If a team dominates in the way Max has done with Red Bull then it’s fair dues. This is a meritocracy. "As long as you comply with the regulations, technical sporting and financial, you just need to say: 'Well done'. "It's up to us to catch up and if that takes a long time, then it takes a long time.” Mercedes was once a dominant force in F1, winning 15 of the 16 championship titles on offer between the inception of the turbo hybrid era in 2014 and 2021. "I remember people crying foul it when it was us," Wolff added. "Entertainment follows the sport, not the other way around. "You can't be WWE and just [have] scripted content. We don't want to [have] scripted content."
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