Toto Wolff: 'Mercedes dominance not good for Formula 1'

Toto Wolff the Mercedes GP Executive Director looks on from the pitwall during day four of Formula One Winter Testing at the Circuito de Jerez on January 31, 2014
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Toto Wolff admits that the end of Mercedes's utter dominance is good for the sport.

Toto Wolff has admitted that the end of Mercedes's utter dominance is good for the sport.

Throughout the 'power unit' era to date, Mercedes won every title on offer and almost completely monopolised the top step of the podium.

However, in 2017 so far, Mercedes have been defeated two out of three times by Ferrari.

"Yes, our three-year dominance is over," team boss Wolff told Swiss newspaper Blick.

"It was not always good for Formula 1. That's why many fans are now looking forward to a great world championship."

On the other hand, Wolff says that Mercedes are enjoying the new, calmer relationship between their drivers.

"Before, for three years we had to consider how to manage Rosberg and Hamilton, but that problem is now gone," said the Austrian.

However, Wolff did have to upset Nico Rosberg's successor Valtteri Bottas in Bahrain by ordering him aside for the faster Lewis Hamilton.

"That never feels good. But the question we had to ask was 'Do we want to lose the race?' he said.

"Valtteri simply didn't have the tyres under control, so we had to put Lewis ahead."

The championship continues on Sunday with the Russian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton stands in the paddock during a press conference at the Circuit de Catalunya on February 25, 2016
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TeamPoints
1Ferrari102
2Mercedes99
3Red Bull47
4Force India17
5Williams-Mercedes16
6Toro Rosso12
7Haas8
8Renault2
9Sauber0
10McLaren0
DriversTeamPoints
1Sebastian VettelFerrari68
2Lewis HamiltonMercedes61
3Valtteri BottasMercedes38
4Kimi RaikkonenFerrari34
5Max VerstappenRed Bull25
6Daniel RicciardoRed Bull22
7Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes16
8Sergio PerezForce India14
9Carlos SainzToro Rosso10
10Kevin MagnussenHaas4
11Romain GrosjeanHaas4
12Esteban OconForce India3
13Nico HulkenbergRenault2
14Daniil KvyatToro Rosso2
15Fernando AlonsoMcLaren0
16Marcus EricssonSauber0
17Antonio GiovinazziSauber0
18Jolyon PalmerRenault0
19Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren0
20Pascal WehrleinSauber0
21Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes0