Toto Wolff warns Mercedes has no "entitlement" for victory

Mercedes

Wolff warns Mercedes has no "entitlement" for victory

Mercedes currently leads both F1 title races after four races

Ewan Gale

Monday 17 May 2021 08:00

Toto Wolff has warned Mercedes has no "entitlement" for success in the battle with Red Bull for the F1 constructors' championship.

Mercedes has dominated the sport since the introduction of turbo-hybrid power units in 2014 and has won every championship available during the period.

Red Bull has taken the fight to Mercedes this year but, despite the reigning champions enduring a tough pre-season test, Mercedes has won three of the first four races courtesy of Lewis Hamilton, who leads the drivers' championship.

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“The guys and girls in the team are doing a really good job," said Wolff. "Even on the days we lose, we learn and I think the mindset is right and when our car’s not quick enough we are still able to extrapolate good performance.

"But never rest, never have any sense of entitlement, it can swing in the other direction and then it will be a weekend to learn.”

Mercedes' fears this season came from the aerodynamic changes aimed at cutting downforce at the rear of the car, a change that seemed to hinder its low-rake concept more than Red Bull's high-rake philosophy.

When asked if he was confident the team had got to grips with the changes, Wolff replied honestly: “[I am] never confident to be on top of the regs and never confident whether we can continue to improve in relation to Red Bull.

"I think it is going to be a fight neck to neck for a long time.”

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