Mercedes boss Toto Wolff set to miss out on the 2024 F1 Japanese GP - Reports

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is reportedly set to miss the fourth race of the 2024 F1 season, with the Silver Arrows team expected to operate in the absence of the team principal for the Japanese GP weekend, scheduled between April 5-7.

Following a disappointing weekend at the Australian GP, where both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton failed to finish the race, PA reports that the team principal will miss the fourth race of the season. However, his absence is not related to the poor performance in Melbourne.

Toto Wolff is expected to take a scheduled absence, as the decision was taken before the start of the 2024 season. Wolff had also missed the Japanese GP and Qatar GP last year as he was recovering from a knee surgery.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff

In his absence, his responsibilities will be shared by the senior members of the trackside operations team. Previously in Wolff's absence, Mercedes' Driver Development Director Jerome D’Ambrosio took over the responsibilities. According to reports, D'Ambrosio will join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next season.

After wrapping up the event in Melbourne, Formula 1 heads to the Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese GP.

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Toto Wolff expresses frustration with Mercedes' current plight

Following the double DNF in the Australian GP, the Mercedes F1 team principal said that the results were tough to accept and that there was no positive outlook to take from the weekend.

Wolff explained that the team began the season with hopes that the W15 was an improvement over its predecessors. Contrary to their belief, the team didn't make the progress they had hoped for during the winter.

"We started this season in the belief that this car was better than last year. Then you look at last year [in Australia] where Leclerc crashed out and Sainz was fourth on the road, McLaren were 17th, 18th or 19th and now they are 40 seconds ahead of us," Wolff told Sky Sports.

The 52-year-old expressed his frustration by adding:

"On one side, I want to punch myself on the nose. On the other side, it's a testimony that when you get things right, you can turn it around pretty quickly and continue to believe."

The Brackley-based squad seems to have taken a step in the wrong direction after leading the chasing pack with a second-place finish in the constructors' standings last season.

Three rounds into the 2024 F1 season, Mercedes finds itself in fourth place in the constructors' standings. Red Bull currently leads the standings with 97 points, closely followed by Ferrari with 93 points. McLaren sits in third position with 55 points, while the Silver Arrows trail behind at 26 points.