IMOLA, Italy — Toto Wolff stated Mercedes has not produced a automotive worthy of Lewis Hamilton’s standing as a seven-time world champion after seeing him get lapped by Max Verstappen and end thirteenth at Imola.

In one of the crucial peculiar shows of his illustrious profession, Hamilton discovered himself caught behind AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly in a race which featured minimal overtaking when the observe dried out after an early rain bathe, even with the Drag Discount System support enabled.

George Russell completed fourth within the sister automotive with one other very spectacular drive to provide Mercedes some positives heading to the primary Miami Grand Prix on Could 8.

Mercedes boss Wolff refused to put any blame at Hamilton’s door, saying the automotive is just not the place it must be and that Hamilton had not been capable of progress in the identical means Russell had.

“Yeah, actually unhealthy,” Wolff stated. “He obtained squeezed by the Alpine [at the start], the opposite two vehicles undercut and there is simply no overtaking whenever you’re in a DRS prepare. We noticed from George what the automotive can do in free air however we aren’t adequate for a world champion, unfit for a world champion.

“We simply want to repair the automotive”

On Russell’s consequence, Wolff stated: “George actually drove properly contemplating the automotive he had beneath. He had a automotive that was setup for the moist, and never for dry and he dealt with it. A extremely, actually good drive.”

After the race, Wolff apologised to Hamilton over the radio, which was broadcast on TV.

One of many notable traits of the Mercedes W13 automotive is the way it bounces aggressively when driving at excessive pace and this was seen on a variety of events down Imola’s lengthy primary straight.

Wolff stated it’s exceptional Hamilton or Russell are capable of deal it in any respect.

When requested later if his apology was about one thing else unseen Hamilton was coping with, he stated: “No, simply the automotive was undriveable.

“You see the bouncing on the principle straight, I ponder how the 2 of them may even hold the automotive on the observe at occasions.

“Lewis deserves higher from us. However we’re a workforce so all of us must do the utmost to be able to present him with a machine that is ready to struggle for entrance positions.”

Hamilton has been the dominant driver in F1 since 2014 however has appeared out of kinds with Mercedes’ troublesome automotive this 12 months.

Hamilton returned the apology to the workforce when he spoke to the media on Sunday night.

“It has been tough. However I do not actually know what to say. It undoubtedly is not simple.

“All of us really feel it as a workforce. no less than George obtained some factors for the workforce as we speak, my apologies to everybody that I wasn’t capable of do the identical.”

When requested what the issue was whereas caught behind Gasly, he merely stated: “I do not actually know, I simply wasn’t quick sufficient to overhaul him.”