On the eve of the 2024 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff spoke about the chances of challenging Ferrari and McLaren and how the standings are helpful for Mercedes. So far, 2024 has been a season of ups and downs for the team led by Toto Wolff, much like it has been since the new regulations were introduced. Mercedes has never truly fought for the top spots in the Constructors’ standings and arrives in Brazil, the 21st race of the F1 season, aware of the gap from Ferrari and McLaren.
The Silver Arrows are currently in fourth place, 200 points behind the team led by Andrea Stella. It’s a gap too wide to Red Bull as well, with a podium finish effectively out of reach with only four races remaining in the season.
However, this opens interesting doors for 2025, as Toto Wolff himself confirmed. “Our position in the standings allows us to experiment. Of course, each weekend we try to maximize the result, but at the same time, we can try things for next year,” Toto Wolff revealed. “We know it will be very difficult to challenge Ferrari and McLaren. We still have a lot of work to do to get there.”
Expectations for Interlagos
After two rather difficult weekends, Mercedes arrives in Brazil with the goal of securing a good result. Moreover, Interlagos is a track where both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have shown they can excel.
“Our main problem is that we start having issues as soon as the track grip increases,” Toto Wolff explained. “We definitely need to find an explanation for this. We’ve chosen a direction for 2025, but at the moment, I’d say we see the glass as half-empty. These last four races will be crucial.” – the Mercedes boss pointed out ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
“Interlagos is a very unique track, and the presence of the Sprint forces us to be fast right away since we’ll only have one hour of free practice. We’re bringing a new floor, but it will be up to the drivers to decide whether or not to use it,” concluded the Mercedes Team Principal.
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