Toto Wolff has revealed the reason behind the recent performance drop of the Mercedes W16. After a dominant one-two finish at the Canadian Grand Prix, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team drivers, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, struggled to keep pace with the Scuderia Ferrari duo and Max Verstappen, who remain the primary challengers to the McLaren team’s supremacy in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The issue was related to a new solution introduced on the rear axle of the car, which created significant instability. This change compromised the overall balance and confidence of the car’s rear end. As a result, Mercedes decided to revert to the previous specification of the rear suspension to allow both drivers to regain a more consistent and predictable driving experience.
“It wasn’t an aerodynamic problem,” explained Toto Wolff in an interview with Sky Germany. “The new rear axle that we used for a few races mainly caused instability in the rear, which completely took away the drivers’ confidence.”
Wolff further added: “With the old rear axle, which we have now reinstalled, the drivers feel that confidence again. Both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have confirmed that the problem has disappeared, so the situation is much better now.”
Is Mercedes now on the path to a breakthrough?
George Russell has already noticed a significant improvement in the car’s behavior on track. This was evident in the first two free practice sessions of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, where both Mercedes drivers managed to finish inside the top ten—an encouraging sign for the Brackley-based team.
“It always feels good to be a bit higher up in the standings,” said George Russell on Friday. “We just need to find that final piece before everything starts to click for us again. It wasn’t a breakthrough, and we didn’t expect it to be a breakthrough, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
The British driver also noted a positive shift in overall driving experience: “We just have to keep working. It was definitely more enjoyable to drive today, and both of us felt a bit more confident in the car. We’re now aiming for the upper half of the standings, and that’s already an improvement compared to Spa-Francorchamps.”
All eyes are now on the third and final free practice session in Budapest. It will serve as the ultimate test to determine whether the Mercedes team can genuinely challenge the likes of Ferrari and Max Verstappen during qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
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