Mercedes’ Team Principal, Toto Wolff, acknowledges that they are not yet prepared to mount significant pressure on Max Verstappen for race wins.
The Brackley-based team endured a challenging start to the 2023 season, opting for a unique ‘no sidepods’ car concept that has since been abandoned midway through the season.
However, Mercedes has made significant strides and is closing in on Aston Martin, currently the unexpected closest challenger to Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull.
Wolff revealed that a major upgrade is in the pipeline for the upcoming race at Silverstone, with another enhancement planned just before the summer break.
“We’re bringing a major upgrade to Silverstone,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has now told Sky Deutschland.
Speaking about the team’s progress, Wolff shared, “We are witnessing notable performance improvements in the wind tunnel. We have gained a better understanding of what it takes to make the car faster and how the setup should be configured.”
“We see good increases in performance in the wind tunnel,” said Wolff. “We understand better what the car needs to be fast, what the setup has to look like.
Despite the positive developments, Wolff acknowledges the substantial lead that Verstappen currently holds. He admits that Mercedes still has work to do to close the gap and genuinely challenge the Dutch driver. Wolff emphasizes the importance of addressing aerodynamics and the overall mechanical concept, highlighting their interconnected nature.
“In general, the steps are getting bigger now. I think we’re making good progress but I think Max’s lead is still too big to really think that we’re putting him under pressure.
“But I think we can fix that. It’s the aerodynamics, it’s the entire mechanical concept – it’s all interwoven.”
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Mercedes and their ongoing battle to close the gap on Verstappen. The forthcoming upgrades and continuous development efforts will play a crucial role in determining their competitiveness and ability to challenge for race victories.
