The seven-time champion’s team principal at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, was equally blunt in his assessment, describing it as brutally painful, conceding it was a fair question to ask if it was time he stepped down from the role and that he felt neither positive nor optimistic about his team’s situation. “This is the worst start to the season I’ve ever had for sure and it’s worse than 2009,” he said. “It’s tough on the spirit for everyone in the team. “You see the progress that McLaren and Ferrari have made, so on one side, I want to punch myself on the nose,” he said. “I would be lying if I said I feel positive and optimistic about the situation.

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