Toto Wolff admits Mercedes budget limits as Lewis Hamilton criticises Ferrari
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted the team cannot financially compete with their Formula 1 rivals in the development race, while Lewis Hamilton urged Ferrari to eliminate simple errors following a chaotic Dutch Grand Prix.
McLaren’s Lando Norris secured victory at Zandvoort in the first event after the sport’s summer break.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished as runner-up, with George Russell taking third to complete the podium.
The race was marred by early drama when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen crashed heavily at the end of the opening lap to trigger a red flag.
Wolff concedes development limitations
Despite dominating the first six rounds of the season, the Silver Arrows have since seen McLaren and Ferrari claim two victories each following aggressive car upgrades.
“We haven’t got the money to put developments on account,” Wolff said.
“We are trying to evenly split that through the season, based on our calculations of when we can bring the biggest updates and optimising the championship points.”
All teams on the grid are restricted by a strict £170m budget cap, meaning strategic spending is crucial across the long calendar.
The Brackley-based squad are not scheduled to introduce their next major upgrade package until the Bahrain Grand Prix in October.
Hamilton demands improvement after frustration
Elsewhere, seven-time world champion Hamilton voiced significant frustration over team radio after narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
The British veteran was held up by teammate Charles Leclerc in the closing stages of the race, leaving him to cross the line in fourth place.
That result leaves the 40-year-old third in the drivers’ standings, level on points with second-placed Russell but losing valuable ground to Antonelli.
The paddock now moves to Monza in September, kicking off a run of fixtures through Spain and Azerbaijan.