FIA President Jean Todt has admitted that he’s amazed by the continued success of Mercedes at the pinnacle of Formula 1.
The German manufacturer has now won six consecutive team and driver championships, and has dominated the sport since 2014. Todt stressed how hard it was for any team or sportsman to sustain such an incredible run.
“It’s amazing,” he said, as reported by RACER.com. “I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to achieve that.
“To do that six years in a row is remarkable, particularly when you have other teams like Ferrari, Red Bull — now with Honda — and great drivers.”
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He likened Mercedes’ success to an athlete lifting a 200kg weight and then managing to hold it there for an extended period: “Normally it comes down!” he pointed out.
Todt was himself team principal at Ferrari in the early 2000s when the Scuderia enjoyed its own spectacular run of success in F1, meaning he knows what it takes to put together – and sustain a title-winning team.
“I have full respect and it reminds me of some memories,” he said. “Even if I must admit that they did better — six and six, we did six and five — and with a strong competition.”
Todt added that he had been left “speechless” by Mercedes’ achievements and said that it was up to the other teams on the grid to catch up and end the run of back-to-back titles being racked up by the Silver Arrows.
Already, Ferrari and Red Bull have been gaining ground and made 2019 one of the closest championship battles in recent years.
“I feel that the championship was very difficult for them, much more than it may look,” said Todt of Mercedes’ ultimate success last year.
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