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Mercedes finds itself in a peculiar situation this season. For the first time since 2014, the German team does not have a car capable of contending for wins, podiums, or titles. It is the third-fastest car on the grid and around half a second slower than front-running teams like Ferrari and Red Bull.
Talking about the performance of the car so far, Toto Wolff was quite open to admitting that the performance was nowhere close to what the team expected. The team knew there was no magic fix and will focus on steadily trying to close the gap to the front in the upcoming races. He said:
“At the moment, our track performance is not meeting our own expectations, but everyone at Brackley and Brixworth is focused on understanding the problems and finding the right solutions. There won’t be a magic fix for the next race weekend, but we’re pushing to steadily bring gains over the upcoming races, to hopefully move us closer to the front of the pack.”
Wolff also highlighted how the two Mercedes drivers were pushing the team, spending time in the simulator, and looking to improve the situation. Speaking to the media, the Austrian said:
“Lewis and George are making an important contribution to the overall effort, providing feedback, spending time in the simulator, and working together to help push us forward.”
Mercedes needs to maximize every opportunity
The German outfit is already close to 40 points behind Ferrari in the constructors' championship. While the car has clearly been slower in the first two races than Red Bull and Ferrari, Mercedes has not been at the top of its game operationally.
Sending out Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on hard tires for the second stint in Bahrain or the setup issues for Hamilton at the Saudi GP and then the delayed pitstop as well is not the kind of error one expects from the German unit. Wolff, aware of what has been going on, also stressed the importance of maximizing everything in these early stages of the season, saying:
“We need to maximize each opportunity and make the most of the package we have. So, there are various challenges ahead of us, but that's something we relish and is when a team reveals its true spirit.”
The team has not conceded a pole position in Australia since 2013. It might be a humbling experience for the team this weekend.
