Mercedes boss in shock 'testing' admission after woeful Japanese GP

Toto Wolff has shared an embarrassing piece of information regarding the performance of Mercedes after a poor start to the season.

It's not time to tear up the operation and start from square one yet, but the Silver Arrows have fallen into Formula 1's midfield and improvement is a matter of urgency.

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Lewis Hamilton is set to depart the team at the end of the season and all of a sudden, they have lost a key figurehead and point of experience in their fight to return to the front of the pack.

It mounts pressure on George Russell, who will probably become the new team leader in his fourth season with the team.

He will need to find a way to extract further performance and optimise their development plan for the tricky Mercedes chassis.

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What is embarrassing for Mercedes?

Toto Wolff has now revealed a humiliating piece of information regarding their current plan to extract more pace in the wake of four poor races to start the season.

“We had an atrocious first stint [in Japan], which we need to analyse why,” said Wolff. “Very good second and third stint, and that is the positive that we take from the race.

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“It is live testing now for us. We’ve been on the back foot and besides our issues for two seasons, and now we’ve taken a different direction and I think this is happening.

“Much better, definitely much better [understanding of the car]. Lots more data to point us in the right direction, even if it’s not reflected in the result.”

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