Mercedes motorists find motivation in authentic competition
In the lead-up to the Formula-1 season, Mercedes, previously a world champion team, hadn't been delivering satisfactory results. Nevertheless, they managed to secure their first podium finish of the year in Canada. Pushing ahead, the team aims to build on this success in Barcelona, with the help of fellow race enthusiasts.
With the beginning of the Triple-Headers, Toto Wolff and his team members gained new vigor, setting sail. Lewis Hamilton, the Formula-1 record world champion, and his teammate George Russell, paid a visit to the British Team INEOS Britannia, stationed within the Mercedes headquarters in Brackley, on a Wednesday. The team is prepared to compete in the America's Cup in October.
Wolff stated, "This is a Win-Win-Situation. We're all racers, we want championships, races, and trophies." He, along with Hamilton and Russell, boarded the boat, expressing excitement about the athletic and physical challenges they experienced. It was a memorable experience, he added, and it's expected to fuel the Formula-1 team during the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. However, Wolff expressed caution, considering the ups and downs the team experienced in the past years. Despite the encouraging results in Canada, there's still room for improvement.
"We can't afford to get greedy now," Wolff cautioned. "The race in Barcelona will show how far we have progressed in our process." The question remains whether the momentum from Canada will continue as Formula 1 returns to Europe. "Our competition will begin to catch up in the next races in Spain, Austria, and Silverstone," he continued. "We have to keep pushing hard to consistently fight for the podium and possibly win races."
The last time Mercedes tasted victory in Formula 1 was a while ago - at the penultimate race of the 2022 season in Sao Paulo, where George Russell clinched the win. Since then, Red Bull, with world champion Max Verstappen at the helm, has predominantly reigned supreme. Ferrari and McLaren were able to disrupt this streak only occasionally. Mercedes, on the other hand, has struggled with their own performance and consistently fell short of expectations, often settling for the fourth position - putting them behind the top three teams.
Despite these challenges, Russell and Hamilton managed to hold their own in Montreal. Russell secured the Pole Position, but made mistakes and ended up in third place. Hamilton finished fourth. Wolff saw this as a reward for the team's hard work and a sign to keep pushing. "In Barcelona, we expect a mix of fast, medium, and slow sections," Wolff said, "A long straight and many height differences - tracks with such a profile have been one of our weaknesses this year. Now we're looking forward to the challenge."
