Toto Wolff remains ever-optimistic that his team can pull things off. Mercedes has not won a single race so far. On the other hand, their rival, Red Bull, has won all nine Grands Prix up till now. But there are still 13 more races to go. However, it looks highly unlikely for Mercedes to come back from this position to steal the title away from their rival. But in sports, a champion team never gives up. The former champions want to do the same.
Mercedes does not want to give up on the idea of a turnaround. They believe they can turn things around with new upgrades. Toto Wolff says new upgrades await in the Silverstone. It can help in solving the issue of the W14 car’s weakness around the slow-speed corners. The Mercedes team plans to add new front wings to help improve the aero balance, especially in those corners. But even so, it looks very difficult to catch Red Bull before the end of the season.
Toto Wolff Must Keep Faith In His Team To Turn Things Around
Moreover, Toto Wolff spoke with Autosport about their chances to close the gap with their rival. The Mercedes boss said, “We have to keep the belief that we can do it. It is possible to catch Red Bull. Otherwise, we may just turn it off and focus solely on the 2024 season. But that’s not possible.” The German manufacturers won’t be happy with just a top-ten finish. Toto Wolff says that they have to keep working and fight hard to get as close as possible. But McLaren, Aston Martin, and Ferrari were faster than Mercedes in Austria. Hence, their competition is not just Red Bull.
Toto Wolff says, “The competitors keep fluctuating. It depends on who are bringing upgrades.” Mercedes is trying to solve all the problems with their car to get a clear concept about what they have to do next year. Moreover, Toto Wolff states that they are taking positives from every race. For instance, in the Canadian Grand Prix, Red Bull was only 10 seconds faster than Mercedes. Moreover, the Brackley team gained enough pace to get back-to-back podiums in Spain and Canada. But they could not maintain the same momentum in the Red Bull Ring, Austria.
Mercedes Hopes For A Better Day In Silverstone Than They Had In Austria
Instead, everybody saw Toto Wolff arguing with Lewis Hamilton for the first time. The seven-time champion kept complaining about the slow pace of the car. Later, Wolff said on the radio, “We know the car is bad. But please drive it, Lewis.” However, after the race, Wolff said the outburst against Lewis was not a big deal, but the final day of the Austrian Grand Prix was very bruising.
However, the Brackley team is looking for a redemption in Silverstone next weekend. They want to get back the same momentum from Spain and Canada. Moreover, new upgrades in the British Grand Prix can help the Mercedes team to a great deal. Hence, Toto Wolff expects his team to end the win drought sometime soon before the summer break.