https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/me...eding/6751590/
Mercedes fears over need for Hamilton F1 engine penalty receding
By: Jonathan Noble
Nov 6, 2021, 7:20 AM
Mercedes says fears about Lewis Hamilton definitely needing to take another Formula 1 engine change penalty this year are fading, amid confidence it has now “solved” its main reliability concern.
But speaking at the Mexican Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said that the team was confident it would not need to make a change this weekend – and it was feeling better that it could avoid a penalty entirely before the end of the season.
“I think we're feeling more robust about one particular issue that seems to be solved,” he explained.
Wolff said that with overtaking so hard in F1, Mercedes was especially reluctant to go for an engine change if it could be avoided.
“I think it's never right to take a penalty, because these days it's so difficult to overtake,” he said.
“You can see that Valtteri was absolutely dominant in Turkey, but [in the USA] you just get stuck in traffic with the penalty.
“So we're taking it on the fly. We're deciding, do we need the penalty or are we not needing a penalty? And here certainly we won't take one.
“And maybe we don't need any until the end of the season. That is really something that is being discussed.”