The German manufacturer has been working hard on a fundamentally different car for 2024, with it clear that it did not hit the targets with its current W14 challenger.
While such a dramatic change of direction opens the risk of the team having to restart on all the knowledge it has gained over the past two years, the team says it is now convinced that there is no future for the current concept.
The obvious lack of pace at Interlagos, where Lewis Hamilton slid down the order from starting third at the restart a year on from the squad triumphing there, has highlighted that it would have been even more foolish to stick with its current car.
Asked if the Brazil form had dented confidence about its understanding of the current regulations, team principal Wolff said: “No, I think more confirmed that the steps that we did are necessary. So at least we know it confirms that the trajectory of changing fundamentally is right.
“Last year, we came out of an Interlagos weekend, where you're absolutely demolishing your competition Saturday and Sunday, and that was like: are we doing the right thing by continuing with the chassis that we have?
“Now it is pretty clear. This feels horrible for the whole team. And I wish we could start the new season and concentrate on the new car.”
Source: Autosport