Mercedes Team Principal Claims To Understand Mistakes That Set Mercedes Back In Brazil
F1Tuesday, 14 November 2023 at 09:00
Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff told the media his team understands mistakes and can explain the loss of performance during the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
As George Russell said, after he DNFed from the race at Interlagos Circuit, the Mercedes team was left with many question marks following the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Silver Arrows seemed to be on a great trajectory to catch up with Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton crossing the finish line in second place during both the United States and Mexico City Grand Prix.
However, the team's progress seemed to be erased during the Brazilian Grand Prix. The team's principal Toto Wolff told the media, according to racingnews365:
"Brazil was probably our most difficult weekend of the season. After promising performances in the US and Mexico, we didn't perform at our best in Brazil."
Lewis Hamilton told the media after the race he hoped there would at least be some valuable learnings from the race. Wolff says the team can now explain the "performance loss."
"We have been hard at work to identify the wrong turn we took with the set-up; we have done that. We understand our mistakes and can explain our performance loss to the field. That's important as we look to secure P2 in the Constructors' Championship."
While Mercedes's team principal did not go into detail on what caused the loss of performance, he said the team is already in full focus on the next Grand Prix which takes place in Las Vegas.
"In parallel, we have been preparing for the challenge of racing at a venue that is a complete unknown. We have prepared the best we can, using the limited information we have, and there are some unique characteristics we can anticipate."
Mercedes's main rival, Ferrari, expects a strong performance at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit that should suit the team by its characteristics. However, Wolff identified a few variables that might influence the race outcome.
"The schedule is offset compared to other races. We'll be running at night, where ambient and track temperatures will likely be in the single digits."
The fight for second place between Mercedes and Ferrari is on, with two races remaining in the season. The race in Las Vegas might decide the outcome of the Championship, and Mercedes is looking forward to the challenge:
"It's going to be a big challenge for us all and we're looking forward to taking it on."
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