Toto Wolff has said he that he thinks ‘it’s possible’ that Mercedes can close the gap to Red Bull with an upgrade worth up to ‘five tenths’ of lap time.
The team have done well in 2023 to maximise the performance from their car and to be sat in second in the constructors’ championship, without ever really looking like they might be able to win a race.
Red Bull’s dominance has been extreme over the past two seasons, winning 24 of the last 25 Formula 1 races. Max Verstappen has also managed to clinch a personal F1 record of 10 consecutive race wins in 2023.
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However, Mercedes were the only blot over the last 25 races, when George Russell was able to take victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2022.
It’s a far cry from where they were between 2014-2021, when they won eight consecutive constructors’ championships, but Mercedes will be happy to have Lewis Hamilton chasing down third spot in the drivers’ championship, and the team being seen as ‘the best of the rest’ as it stands.
And now Wolff has revealed his thoughts on whether they can close the gap to Red Bull in 2024.
“I think where we are, we just need a step that McLaren and Aston Martin have achieved in one go,” he told Motorsport.com.
“It is not making a two tenths update, but a five tenths update and then you’re back in the game. So yeah, I think it’s possible.”
Optimism at Mercedes
McLaren’s step forward has been huge in 2023, starting the season scrapping for points to now being in contention for podium finishes regularly.
Aston Martin also managed a huge step over the winter, going from a car that could only finish seventh in last season’s constructors’ championship, to a car that has allowed Fernando Alonso to claim seven podiums in the first 14 races of the season.
Mercedes are optimistic, not only that they can be quick at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, but also that they can once again get themselves up into contention for regular race wins in 2024.
They have managed to tie down their two star drivers until at least the end of the 2025 season; and now the hard work begins to try and give them both a car that can challenge for world championships.
“I think we have a few directions,” Wolff added. “If we would know it would be much easier, but the car is just very unpredictable and lacks grip. So, there are plenty of things that you need to tackle.
“We tend to believe in F1 that there’s a silver bullet that’s going to unlock everything. I think we just need to put components together to make them work together in the car. There’s not one topic that I would call out.”
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