Wolff makes Belgian GP prediction

Toto Wolff says the unpredictable nature of Formula 1 in 2018 and the topsy-turvy fight for dominance between Mercedes and Ferrari makes the Belgian Grand Prix difficult to prepare for. The lead of the drivers' and constructors' standings has switched between both teams all season.

Lewis Hamilton will start the race at Spa-Francorchamps 24 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel, although Ferrari did more than enough before the summer shutdown to suggest that theirs is the strongest car on the grid.

Vettel's mistakes have arguably cost the Scuderia, and Wolff says full focus is on eradicating similar errors at Mercedes as they bid for a fifth straight title.

He said: "Our first stop after the summer break is Spa - an historic circuit that has been the venue of some of the most spectacular races in F1 history.

"Corners like Eau Rouge are known to race fans around the world and the race always attracts a huge and very enthusiastic crowd.

What. A. Lap. If you're going to equal M @Schumacher’s record of 68 @F1 poles, then do it in style...

Lewis Hamilton was on ???????????? last year in Spa! pic.twitter.com/rZMkPBXqLX — Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) August 20, 2018

"From a team's perspective, the circuit is quite tricky, as it is not easy to find the right set-up for a track that has long straights, considerable changes in elevation and high-speed corners.

"You want to have enough downforce to be quick through the corners, but at the same time not carry too much drag for the long straights.

"It's very difficult to make any predictions for Spa. If this season has taught us one thing, it's that there are no clear favourites for specific tracks anymore and that it's not always the fastest car that wins.

"Instead, the competitive balance seems to swing back and forth from circuit to circuit. What is clear is that our competitors are pushing extremely hard and put up a very tough fight.

"So we need to keep our heads down, work hard to eliminate our weaknesses and further build on our strengths, and take the season race by race. 2018 promises to be a season that we will still be talking about in years to come and we can't wait to get out there and start racing again."