Mercedes among favorites in Las Vegas
After a dominant start in the turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes has been competitive only sporadically in ground-effect F1. Over the past four years, the Brackley team has achieved only two 1-2 finishes, compared to 53 across the previous eight seasons. One of those victories came at Las Vegas in 2024, with George Russell finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes tends to perform best in cooler conditions and on tracks where traction is crucial. In these respects, the Las Vegas GP should suit the W16, giving the team a real shot at a repeat victory and an opportunity to extend their lead over rivals for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, currently 32 points ahead of Red Bull. However, team principal Toto Wolff is urging caution: dreaming is fine, but getting carried away is risky.
Toto Wolff’s words
“The Las Vegas weekend is unlike any other F1 event. Racing along the Strip at night has already become an iconic fixture on the calendar, with the high-speed layout presenting an interesting challenge and promising exciting races,” Toto Wolff commented. “It has drawn both existing fans and new ones to our sport, and I am confident it will continue to do so for many years to come. The first two editions were spectacular, and I am sure this year will be even bigger and better.”
“On track, we have regained our advantage in the fight for second place. But we take nothing for granted,” he added. “At Austin and in Mexico, we saw how quickly that gap can vanish. Even though our performance at Las Vegas last year might have raised external expectations for this weekend, we do not let ourselves get carried away. The competition is incredibly strong, and it will be a battle all the way to Abu Dhabi. We have three challenging race weekends ahead, but we are ready.” – the Mercedes team boss concluded ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.
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