Mercedes are currently in the midst of a mind-blowing battle for the championship title with Red Bull Racing this season. And unlike the past, the Brackley outfit aren’t dominating the battle either, as their rivals have constantly looked significantly stronger.
Hence, despite leading the battle following the summer break, there is major uncertainty whether Mercedes can continue to keep ahead of Red Bull.
Well, irrespective of who is stronger, Mercedes’ boss, Toto Wolff, acknowledged that the defending champions will leave no performance on the table.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Read More: WATCH: Historical Moment in Motorsports as Fernando Alonso Drives Alpine F1 Car at Le Mans
What did Toto Wolff say?
Speaking to GPFans, the Austrian reckoned that Mercedes must minimize their mistakes in order to gain any hope of winning the title this season.
“The words ‘marginal gains’ are copyright of Sir Dave Brailsford who invented that many years ago for his cycling team,” he said.
“I think it is about really leaving no performance on the table, minimising mistakes. And that may at the end contribute to winning or not winning. And it could be with the tiniest of margins,” Wolff added.
Mercedes are 12 points ahead of Red Bull in the constructor’s standings, which is hardly an advantage, considering there are 12 more races to go this year.
Hence, Mercedes will be keen on starting the season’s second half by beating both the Red Bull drivers at Spa. And this, in turn, would pile more pressure on the Milton Keynes outfit.
When is Mercedes’ next update arriving?
Well, here’s where Mercedes might end up on the back foot. Wolff affirmed that the Hungarian Grand Prix marked the end of W12’s development. Hence, Mercedes will continue to race with the same car throughout the season.
“All there is, is all we have,” Wolff said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Red Bull will be following Mercedes’ footsteps in developing their RB16-B. But, if Red Bull does manage to bring in an upgrade or two, that will certainly bolster their hopes of beating the defending champions to the title.
Also, with Ferrari alleging an evolution of their current power unit after Monza, there are chances that the Scuderia’s might join the title contenders for podiums and even race wins.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Hence, amidst too many factors potentially coming into play later this season, will Mercedes be able to fend off the threats and secure their 8th consecutive title? Well, we’ll know in time.
Watch Story: From Jimmy Kimmel to Ellen: Lewis Hamilton on Talk Shows