Wolff sets out Mercedes end-of-year aims

Ewan Gale
Tuesday 18 October 2022 16:56

Toto Wolff has set out two aims for Mercedes ahead of the final four races of the F1 season.

The Silver Arrows look set to finish a campaign winless for the first time since 2011 with Red Bull and Ferrari holding the cards when it comes to outright performance.

Whilst the race pace of the W13 has been a match for at least the Scuderia, qualifying has left both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell with too much to do too often this year, the duo forced to duel with the Alpines and McLarens on occasion.

Previewing the United States Grand Prix weekend, team principal Wolff conceded: "The double-header in Singapore and Japan was a frustrating one for the team, as we didn’t put ourselves in the clean air we needed to maximise the race pace of the car.

"We want to end this season strongly and the results of the last two races only make us more determined to do so.

"We need to use the limited track time available to make strides forward for this season and generate as much learning as we can in the development race for 2023... those two aims are one and the same."

Mercedes will add an aerodynamic update to the car for the weekend as well as weight-saving changes.

Confirming the upgrade would be the last of the year for the team, Wolff explained: "It won’t drastically change our fortunes but we’re hopeful it will bring us a step forward and closer to the front runners."