Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has seemingly tried to quash suggestions that the Germans’ new concept will see them “drive circles around Red Bull”, with many anticipating that the Silver Arrows will dramatically improve once it’s introduced.
It’s understood that Mercedes’ new concept of the W14 will be introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with the belief being that their revolutionary ‘zero sidepods’ won’t feature.
Wolff discussed how he must “manage everybody’s expectations” regarding the new concept, with it not simply being a magic potion that will put a complete end to their difficulties.
“The target (for the upgrade) is Imola but I need to manage everybody’s expectations,” Wolff said during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
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“We are talking so much about the upgrade but we are not going to put it down on the track and drive circles around Red Bull.”
Mercedes were once again well behind Red Bull at the Baku City Circuit, with Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen having claimed another comfortable 1-2.
George Russell was the Brackley-based team’s lead driver in the sprint race after finishing fourth, whilst Lewis Hamilton got the better of his team-mate in the main race on Sunday after finishing sixth.
Hamilton finished Sunday’s race a distant 46 seconds behind Perez, with the Milton Keynes-based team once again being unstoppable.
As a result, Hamilton is already 45 points behind Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship, whilst Mercedes sit 104 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
It means they’ve got a mountain to climb already in both championships, with Wolff knowing that the only way they can close the gap is to “do a better job”.
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“Over 40 racing laps that’s half a second a lap. At least we saw that they (Red Bull) were pushing today, but half-a-second is quite a long way to go,” admitted Wolff.
“We basically have two cars that are sailing off into the sunset on merit. We either have to do a better job, all of us together, to catch them up, or change the regulations.
“And I don’t think we should be doing the second. We have to win on merit and that means being more clever.”