The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team is continuing its effort to return to the top of the sport. Team Principal Toto Wolff has outlined the immediate goals for the team: to regain consistent competitiveness before the summer break, with the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix serving as crucial opportunities. After that, full attention will turn to the 2026 Formula 1 regulations and the development of the new-generation car.
Mercedes approaches Spa with mixed expectations
The Mercedes team has spent too long searching for a stable identity in the current ground-effect car era. Since the start of this regulatory cycle in 2022, the Brackley-based squad has experienced major highs and frustrating lows. There have been weekends where the Silver Arrows appeared almost untouchable—such as George Russell’s dominant performance in Montreal this season, the team’s strong display at Interlagos in 2022, and their competitive showing in Las Vegas in 2024. Yet there have also been numerous weekends when Mercedes faded into midfield anonymity.
This inconsistency struck again in 2025. Following the Canadian Grand Prix victory by George Russell and a career-first Formula 1 podium for his young teammate Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes struggled to maintain momentum. Over the next two race weekends—at the Red Bull Ring in Austria and Silverstone in the United Kingdom—the team managed to collect only 11 points in total, a disappointing return given their earlier promise.
The characteristics of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit are not ideal for the Mercedes W16 car. The Belgian track, with its emphasis on high-speed corners and aerodynamic efficiency, does not play to the strengths of the current Mercedes package, which performs better in low-speed corners and excels in traction zones. However, the often unpredictable weather conditions at Spa could provide the team with a valuable opportunity to capitalize on strategy and chaos.
Toto Wolff’s strategy and outlook
Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, has emphasized the importance of closing out this first half of the season with momentum and consistency. Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff stated:
“The next two Grands Prix offer us the chance to head into the summer break with positive momentum. Across the first 12 races of the season, we have led at times, but we have also struggled. Our focus has been on reducing that performance delta, working hard to ensure that we can be competitive at every event. After the shutdown period, our attention will inevitably shift more and more toward the 2026 project.”
Toto Wolff highlighted the unique nature of the next two races, stressing that both Spa and the Hungaroring present valuable but contrasting challenges.
“Spa and Budapest are very different tracks, and both will help us continue our development work. Spa’s elevation changes, high-speed sections, and variable weather conditions contrast with the tight, twisty nature of the Hungaroring, where the track surface often reaches some of the highest temperatures we see all year,” he explained. “We’ll aim to make good progress with the car, optimize every race weekend, and fight for strong results before the summer break begins.”
As the team prepares for the next stage of development under the 2026 technical regulations—which include new power units and major chassis changes—Mercedes is determined to lay a solid foundation with the W16 and maximize every remaining opportunity in the 2025 season. Both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will play vital roles in this final push before the team enters a new chapter in its Formula 1 journey.
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