Toto Wolff wary of "long road ahead" despite Mercedes W12 now "in a better place"

Toto Wolff at the Styrian Grand Prix — Photo: © LAT Images

Mercedes

Wolff wary of "long road ahead" despite Mercedes W12 now "in a better place"

Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton lead both championships heading to Spa

Ian Parkes

Tuesday 24 August 2021 15:32

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Toto Wolff is confident this season's Mercedes is now "in a better place" as his team attempt to secure an eighth F1 title but is naturally wary of what he sees as "a long road ahead".

Red Bull had been dominating the campaign until upgrades to the W12 that were introduced at the British Grand Prix brought Mercedes back on a par with its title rival in terms of performance.

Two catastrophic races for Red Bull at Silverstone and in Hungary to close the first half of the season also allowed Mercedes to overhaul significant points deficits in the constructors' and drivers' championships and emerge with slender leads going into this weekend's resumption in Belgium.

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Wolff, though, appreciates the rollercoaster nature of what he claims "has definitely been one of the most intense F1 seasons that I can remember so far" means the season could yet be full of further twists and turns.

"The battle is far from over and after a few weeks away from the track, we're all really excited to get back to work," said Wolff. "The shutdown is such an important time for the entire team. The chance to relax and recharge is invaluable, especially with such a busy second half of the season coming up, and the fight we have ahead of us.

"We're all racers at heart though, so while we enjoyed the well-deserved time off, we're also eager to get back to doing what we love - racing. "We head to Spa-Francorchamps in a good position. We lead both championships and the W12 feels in a better place after the upgrades introduced at Silverstone and an encouraging showing in Hungary.

"But we know there is a long road ahead and so much can still happen in this season of ups and downs."

Wolff cautious of 'unpredictable Spa'

Like many tracks in the current turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes has enjoyed considerable success at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, claiming four wins from the last six races, including a one-two last year.

But with rain forecast across the entire weekend, that adds another potential variable into the equation as Mercedes looks to extend its advantage over Red Bull.

"Spa is a track that we all know and love, one of the true F1 classics with its iconic corners, long-flat out sections and beautiful scenery," added Wolff.

"It's a hugely challenging track for both the drivers and the cars, with the longest lap of the season, lots of elevation change and some very high g-forces. "The weather is also notoriously unpredictable at Spa and always throws a curveball our way.

"With the Belgian Grand Prix always producing exciting and fun racing, it's the perfect place to start the second half of the season. Bring it on!"