Wolff: 'We need a steeper development curve than Red Bull'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
For almost a year and a half, Toto Wolff has been explaining it to fans: Mercedes has been constantly working on updates to close the gap to the absolute top. After another difficult start, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton showed serious competitiveness in Australia for the first time this season. This created some optimism, although Russell did not see the chequered flag due to a power unit failure.
On the Mercedes website, team boss Wolff talks about how hard work is currently going on. Not for the first time, the Austrian cites that his team knows where improvements are needed, but Wolff also acknowledges that the competition is not sitting still. "We need to have a steeper development curve than Red Bull, and fundamentally, we want to compete for race wins," he said.
Quite a job
At some point, Mercedes, if they wants to compete for race wins again, must catch up with Red Bull Racing. It will not be easy for the German team, given that the Red Bull team, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez behind the wheel, is known for successfully adding updates throughout the season. "They are setting the benchmark now. We trust in the process and in the people, and there will be setbacks. But if the trajectory is up, that's where we want to be heading."
In the coming races, Formula 1 will be guests at three tracks very different in terms of characteristics; Baku, Miami and Imola. "We will consistently be bringing upgrades to the car over the next few races, which is something to look forward to. But there is no such thing as a magic bullet that transforms the car, and it's about being realistic with your expectations. Hopefully, we will see a steady improvement."