Toto Wolff cryptic on gains that place Mercedes "where the music plays"

Mercedes

Wolff cryptic on gains that place Mercedes "where the music plays"

Hamilton was third and Russell fifth on Friday in the Netherlands

Sam Hall

Friday 2 September 2022 22:00

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Toto Wolff has suggested that invisible gains have pushed Mercedes back into the mix at Zandvoort.

Mercedes had seemingly taken a step back in pace over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend but recovered strongly with George Russell leading a one-two in first practice before ending the day fifth with Lewis Hamilton third.

The seven-time champion trailed pace-setter Charles Leclerc by just 0.072secs.

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Asked what the best way forward is for Mercedes given its sensitive working window, team principal Wolff told Sky Sports F1: "I think it's more a question of things you don't see on the car than what you see.

"It's obvious we have a narrow sidepod concept and some other things, the rear floor is sticking out much more than on other cars.

"And certainly that will play a role but much more important is how we have developed the car to run low on the floor where we can't run it and what does it do to our suspension kinematic and this is why at the moment, it is just a bit of trial and error."

Mercedes "understand" issues

The Belgian Grand Prix was a chapter that Mercedes will want to forget with Hamilton 1.8secs off the pace in qualifying and retiring on the opening lap.

Although Russell was able to make use of Mercedes' typically strong race pace to take the chequered flag in fourth, this provided only a small amount of relief.

Put to him that 'you never know what you're going to get with the W13', Wolff said: "It is a little bit like that.

"We understand now why that is and it is all about getting the car in the right balance aerodynamically but also grip-wise.

"Spa was an outlier in terms of what our car would like. Here is one of the better circuits and you can see that we are right where the music plays."