"So, I had to adapt the way I communicate in order to not create even more pressure in the team because it would break us [...] It's not because of a lack of trying that we are not competitive. So, I'd rather be helpful and encouraging and say, 'That's interesting'."

Toto Wolff appears optimistic, but there's an underlying acknowledgment that Lewis Hamilton's exit marks a significant shift from Mercedes' previously unshakeable culture of success.

It serves as a sobering reminder of past mistakes in aerodynamic design and the tendency to overlook driver feedback, a concern Hamilton has frequently raised.

As a result, Mercedes is now in a rebuilding phase, working to recapture the winning spirit that characterized its earlier triumphs. The decision on their replacement for Lewis will be a make or break for the whole team.