Mercedes flattered by 2019 results, Toto Wolff admits

Toto Wolff

Mercedes flattered by 2019 results, Wolff admits

Title double number six looks in the bag.

Matthew Scott

Thursday 15 August 2019 17:20

Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes' dominant form so far in 2019 owes plenty to luck as well as the Silver Arrows' continued excellence.

Lewis Hamilton enjoys a 62-point lead over team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the drivers' standings at the summer shutdown, while the Silver Arrows are 150 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' championship, having won 10 of the 12 races so far.

The Scuderia are yet to win a single grand prix, making their pre-season favourite tag look somewhat foolhardy, but Wolff says Ferrari's season has not been as ruinous as it may appear on first glance.

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"The season so far has certainly exceeded our expectations because we started winter testing with some poor performances," Wolff told the official F1 website.

"We slowly got to understand the car and when the real racing started we were right at the front.

"But, we were not always the quickest car. Ferrari had a fantastic performance in Bahrain. The car broke down. Leclerc should have won.

"In Baku, they were very fast, and the famous Vettel call in Montreal when he could have won the race or not.

"So, the stats could have looked much worse for us than it does. That is the reason we are not taking out foot off the pedal.

"We believe we need to continue to push our performance level to win this championship as our competition will not rest and let us run away with it."

The Silver Arrows are well set for a sixth straight title double, which would eclipse the previous record run set by Ferrari and Michael Schumacher at the turn of the century.

"We've already stretched it quite a bit," Wolff said. "We're competing for our sixth consecutive double championship which hasn't been done before, in any sport.

"We are proud of having that opportunity, but having said that, it's not done yet. After you get six there is a seventh to conquer. I think the most important thing is to enjoy yourself, have fun, and stay humble."