Mercedes had a tough time in the grid for a couple of years. Perhaps the new cost cap era shook them up a bit. However, the former champions look to bounce back and challenge their rivals for the title once again. The results of the current season are already out as Red Bull won the constructor title and Max Verstappen won the Driver’s World championship. But the Silver Arrows are still hoping to finish at P2 this year. They might catch up with Red Bull next year. But they know how far they are from the Austrian team in terms of the quality of their cars. However, Mercedes has been through an evolving period with their car this season.
They changed a lot of things and introduced new upgrades as much as possible. However, at present, they are on the verge of losing their place at P2 to Ferrari or McLaren. In the last seven races, both Ferrari and McLaren have proven to be faster than the W14 cars. Hence, the German team can’t relax at all. As they are already focusing on next year’s car but also want to secure a P2 finish. Recently, Toto Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian publication, that they plan to change a lot.
Mercedes Boss Discusses The Changes His Team Plans To Work On In The Winter
Previously, Lewis Hamilton said in an interview that he wants the Mercedes engineers to go through the greatest car development process in the next six months. And only then can they think about catching up with Red Bull next year. Moreover, the Mercedes boss told the Italian publication that they are trying to get back to basics. Adding to that, Wolff expressed his disappointment in failing to provide Lewis Hamilton with the fast car he deserves. The Mercedes boss mentioned that he does not want Hamilton to reiterate his issues with the cockpit position and have a hard time understanding suspension cinematics and more.
Moreover, Toto Wolff said that it is essential to figure out what they understand and don’t understand about their car. The priority is solid engineering and not technical sophistication. Hence, they have to put aside what they don’t understand. The Mercedes boss acknowledges the fact that the drivers don’t have confidence in the car. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton lost confidence in W14 in alternate phases. Despite the same setup, the Mercedes drivers feel differently when they curve as they are unsure about how the car will behave.
Toto Wolff Says The Progress Of Williams, Aston Martin And McLaren Inspires Him
Moreover, Toto Wolff points at Alex Albon of the Williams team. The Mercedes boss mentioned that even without great means, a solid platform can help a team take the results home. Wolff believes the Williams is an aerodynamically efficient and a simple single-seater. However, Toto Wolff said that he would not be in the F1 Motorsport if he didn’t believe he can beat Red Bull before 2026.
Moreover, the Mercedes boss adds how much Aston Martin and McLaren have improved in the winter. The goal should be to improve even three or four-tenths of that, and Mercedes will be back in the game in no time. Wolff feels there are a lot of reasons to remain optimistic. They know that their car has the potential to produce better performances. But they have not figured out yet how to make that happen.