Mercedes operating under "less pressure" in Red Bull fight - Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has claimed there to be "less pressure" on the Silver Arrows to succeed against Red Bull than in its previous battles against Ferrari.

In 2017 and '18, Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel provided the primary challenge to Mercedes.

Despite holding just a 12 point margin to Red Bull in the constructors' standings at the time of the summer shutdown, Wolff explained past successes have allowed Mercedes to operate without the "suffocating" pressure of the past.

"This one here, how I perceive it, is less straining on our resources than the other two were," Wolff told GPFans Global.

"Obviously, we also operate out of a certain confidence, based on the success we had in the past, that a lot of enjoyment is part of what we do every day with less pressure.

"Back then, the pressure was enormous, and we're still very ambitious to win, but it's not suffocating."

Prior to this year's championship battle with Red Bull, Wolff listed the 2018 and '19 tussles with Ferrari as his "toughest" in F1.

"It's good fun," Wolff explained. "I think that until now, my toughest fights were in 2018 and 2019 against Ferrari. They were a super-tough opponent and we struggled to perform against them.

"In 2018 we were behind before the summer break, and in 2019 we were fighting engine performance.

"That was so intense all season and only when we took advantage of the beginning of autumn after Monza, and it went towards us with the overseas races."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

How to go and see Max Verstappen race live for less than £9

• 42 minutes ago

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari are at the crossroads: The F1 prince needs to become king

• 2 hours ago

F1 crisis team Aston Martin ‘not a happy ship’, Sky Sports insider spills details on Newey role

• 3 hours ago

Max Verstappen's Red Bull 'mistrust' as 2026 car is getting 'worse'

• 3 hours ago

F1 News Today: 2026 farce exposed as Max Verstappen switch made official

• Today 07:15

F1 president blasts 'fake overtaking' claims: 'People have short memories'

• Today 06:45