Wolff prepared for battle in Qatar: 'Our competitors will be stronger'
F1 News
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff believes that his team could be in the fight for back-to-back Grand Prix victories as he looks ahead to Qatar. The Brackley-based team won their fourth race of the season in Las Vegas, as George Russell controlled the race from pole position. Lewis Hamilton cut through the field after starting from 10th and finished an impressive second, meaning that The Silver Arrows scored their 60th one-two finish in F1. Wolff reveals exactly how his team are preparing for the race at the Losail International Circuit.
Wolff impressed with 'highlight result' in Las Vegas.
"We're looking forward to the penultimate race of the season in Qatar after our 1-2 finish in Las Vegas. The team did a great job across the three days in the United States. We were quick throughout and executed well on Saturday night."
"George controlled the race from pole position, drove superbly and had pace in hand to spare. Lewis meanwhile put in a stellar comeback from P10, cutting his way through the field to P2 to secure the top two steps of the podium for the team. A highlight result is exactly what we wanted at the end of the season, and it is well-deserved given the hard work and determination everyone has shown in the second half of the year," Wolff told his Mercedes team.
At the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, Mercedes' W14 finished in seventh and eighth place. This year's W15 hasn't been an easy car to drive at times, but it is undoubtedly a better platform than last year's car, which didn't win a Grand Prix. The German team can work on this heading into 2025.
Wolff: "The races in Las Vegas and Qatar couldn't be more different"
Mercedes excelled in the cooler, low-grip conditions that Las Vegas offered. Other teams struggled with this, meaning that George Russell and Lewis Hamilton could take advantage. The next race in the Middle East is a completely different ball game, as Wolff highlights. "The races in Las Vegas and Qatar couldn't be more different. The Lusail International Circuit has many high-speed sections and few, if any, big braking zones. Despite going there later in the calendar than last year, it will still be very warm. That is in contrast to the cool conditions and many slow-speed sections of Las Vegas."
"Nevertheless, we are aiming for another strong showing this weekend. The W15 has looked more at home at circuits with lots of high-speed corners, such as Silverstone or Spa. We certainly benefitted from the night-time cold in Las Vegas, but the layout in Qatar should be more favourable to the strengths of our car. We know our competitors will be stronger than they were last weekend, but we will be aiming to get the car in a good window once again and be in the fight at the front." The Austrian concluded.
Mercedes sits a comfortable fourth in the constructor's standings with 425 points. Red Bull, who are ahead in third, are realistically out of reach on 555 points. Still, Mercedes will be looking to finish the season strongly, and race victories in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, or both will help them head into the off-season with confidence.
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