Toto Wolff has expressed his pride in the Mercedes turnaround that delivered the team’s ninth Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, describing the achievement as one that few sports organisations have managed.
The title was secured with three races remaining in the 2026 season, five years after Mercedes last won the constructors’ crown – the eighth in a run of consecutive championships from 2014 to 2021. The team had already wrapped up the Drivers’ Championship earlier in the month with Kimi Antonelli.
Difficult years shaped the comeback
Mercedes’ dominance ended with the 2022 regulation changes, which introduced ground-effect cars that the team struggled to master. Between 2022 and 2025, the Silver Arrows finished second, second, third and fourth in the standings, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton combined for seven Grand Prix victories.
Wolff acknowledged that the period was trying, not only because of the performance deficit but also because of the repeated difficulty in understanding the car. He noted that the team’s resilience and the commitment of its personnel were central to the recovery.
Reflecting on the stretch, Wolff said that while the statistics show Mercedes were far from complete losers – winning races and finishing high in the championship – the feeling at the time was not good. He added that the tough moments were necessary for growth, even if that is hard to appreciate when you are in the middle of them.
Pride in a rare feat
Wolff highlighted the rarity of bouncing back after a sustained run of success followed by a difficult spell, saying he is proud that Mercedes belong to a small group of teams across all sports that have done so. He also paid tribute to the workforce at the team’s Brackley and Brixworth factories, describing the 2,500 employees as superstars who made the championship possible.
Mercedes now stand level with Williams on nine constructors’ titles, with only McLaren (10) and Ferrari (16) having more in Formula 1 history.
Drivers reflect on achievement
At Interlagos, neither Mercedes driver finished on the podium as Lando Norris dominated in mixed conditions, with both Antonelli and Russell spinning during the race. Russell came home fourth, just ahead of his team-mate.
Antonelli said the team deserved the success after an incredible year of hard work, while Russell admitted the team would have preferred to clinch the title in more style but described the achievement as incredible for everyone involved. He also spoke about the four difficult years and the effort the whole organisation put into returning to the top.
Formula 1 next moves to Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Grand Prix from November 20-22.
