The Qatar Grand Prix was unusual due to a 25-lap tyre limit and a safety car incident, with McLaren's strategy error impacting Oscar Piastri's race, while Red Bull appeared more competitive despite the chaos.
Mercedes' Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff, criticized the team's "catastrophic" strategy at the Dutch Grand Prix, where they stayed out too long on slicks during a brief rain shower, hindering Lewis Hamilton's recovery and causing George Russell to lose significant time. Wolff admitted the mistake and acknowledged that the error involved communication breakdowns between the driver, pit wall, strategy, and weather. Despite the disappointment, Wolff found encouragement in Mercedes' improved pace and acknowledged that the result was bittersweet. The team's gap to Aston Martin in the constructors' championship has now shrunk by 11 points.