Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is hoping his team can respond strongly at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix following two disappointing race weekends.
With Mercedes looking to recover its competitiveness in Austin, Wolff has confirmed that both drivers will run the team’s latest upgrades as the stakes remain high.
Mercedes appeared to have lost its dominance in recent weeks after introducing a major upgrade package in Malaysia that failed to deliver the expected improvement. Instead, the team’s performance declined significantly over the weekend.
The difficulties continued in Singapore, where Mercedes was again unable to compete at the front, prompting considerable dissatisfaction within the team.
Mercedes now heads to Texas determined to achieve a stronger result, with the weekend carrying particular significance as Andrea Kimi Antonelli has an opportunity to secure the world championship title in Austin.
Wolff sees Austin as an opportunity to respond
Wolff acknowledged the importance of recovering from Mercedes’ recent setbacks as the team prepares for the United States Grand Prix.
In Mercedes’ official race preview, the Austrian explained that the team has been working to understand the problems encountered during the previous two weekends.
“Malaysia and Singapore were difficult weekends for us, and we have been working hard to understand where things went wrong. Austin now gives us an opportunity to respond,” Wolff said.
Mercedes confirms upgrades for both cars
Wolff also confirmed Mercedes’ decision regarding its much-discussed upgrade package, revealing that both cars will be equipped with the latest developments in Austin.
“We will run our updates on both cars as we continue to develop. The field is very close, so we need to keep making progress if we want to compete consistently in the closing stages of the season.”
The decision comes after the difficulties Mercedes experienced with the upgrade package introduced in Malaysia, which failed to produce the anticipated performance gains.
Wolff sets Mercedes’ priorities for the triple-header
The United States Grand Prix marks the beginning of a demanding period for Mercedes, with Austin opening a new triple-header.
Wolff recognised the importance of the upcoming races but stressed that the team’s immediate attention remains firmly on delivering the strongest possible performance this weekend.
“The United States Grand Prix marks the start of another demanding triple-header. There is a lot at stake, but we are not getting ahead of ourselves. The priority now is the upcoming weekend, where we need to perform well and maximise everything we can.”
