Lewis Hamilton has gone two years without a victory, facing tough competition from Max Verstappen and Red Bull at Mercedes. Toto Wolff, the team principal, has hinted at innovative features on the 2024 Mercedes car to elevate Hamilton’s chances in the championship battle.

The two-year winless streak for the seven-time world champion coincided with Red Bull’s dominance in the 2023 season, leaving Mercedes to abandon their unconventional ‘zeropod’ concept early on. Toto Wolff defended their initial approach but acknowledged the need for a more conventional design in 2024, promising subtle yet intriguing enhancements.

Reflecting on the past season, Wolff admitted that the bold experiment with the unique car concept did not yield the desired results, attributing the failure to the principles of physics rather than any mystical factors. Looking ahead, he emphasized a more traditional approach for the upcoming season, with Mercedes incorporating some yet-to-be-seen details.

Wolff expressed optimism about the lessons learned from the challenging season, describing it as part of a learning curve that contributes to improvement. Despite the disappointment of not contending for the championship, he conveyed eagerness for the 2024 campaign, where Mercedes aims to implement their accumulated insights and organizational adjustments.

The teased unique elements for the 2024 car suggest continued experimentation by the team to narrow the performance gap with Red Bull. Wolff acknowledged the potential risks associated with a complete overhaul of the car’s design, emphasizing that significant changes are being made across various components. He acknowledged the uncertainty of the outcome, highlighting the possibility of either exceeding expectations or facing challenges in catching up with the competition.