Mercedes F1 News: Toto Wolff Finds Answer - 'The Experiments Have Worked'
In the aftermath of the Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes has discovered a silver lining through their experimental approaches with the W15, despite facing challenges in the race. Team Principal Toto Wolff's optimism suggests a promising direction for the team's future performances.
Key Takeaways:
- Mercedes found an improved pace and a better understanding of their W15 car during the free practice sessions, hinting at a potential turnaround.
- Despite the optimism, the team struggled in the race, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing P7 and P9, respectively, unable to compete with Ferrari, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso.
- Toto Wolff remains positive, citing the experiments conducted have started to show results, offering a glimpse into a promising direction for the team.
Mercedes' venture into the Japanese Grand Prix weekend brought with it a mixed bag of results and insights. The free practice sessions, particularly FP3 where George Russell secured P3 on the timesheet, indicated that Mercedes might have broken through their early-season slump, and Lewis Hamilton came away from the sessions feeling optimistic, too, admitting that it was the best the car had felt this season.
Despite this, the race results did not mirror this progression, as both Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished in the lower half of the top ten, behind their main competitors.
The Suzuka Circuit, renowned for its demanding layout, served as a critical testing ground for the Brackley squad. Toto Wolff, the team's principal, shared his thoughts post-race with F1TV, starting with the difficult start.
"We need to analyse why that is, as the second and third stints were very good," Wolff remarked. "That is the positive that we take from the race. It is live testing now for us. We've been on the back foot and now we've taken a different direction. And I think this is happening."
Reflecting on the cars' performance, he continued:
"It was definitely much better, and there is lots more data that points us in the right direction, even if it's not reflected in the result. "I think I can't wait to go racing in Shanghai. We just need to have a better start to the weekend. Some of the proof of concept that we've done here, we will be on the car. And then see what we can do in Shanghai.
"The experiments have worked. I think what I said, we have a clear direction. Even though the qualifying and race result doesn't reflect it at all. We've aimed for a one-stop. And then we found out it wasn't possible. We've probably over-managed the tyres. But the moment we picked up the speed on the similar stint lengths like the others, we were competitive."