Wolff admits Mercedes' fall but sees potential in data-driven fix

Despite difficulties in the US, Mercedes remains confident, with Wolff acknowledging their underdog status while seeking performance consistency.

Mercedes F1 hopes it has gathered enough data in Austin to understand the performance fluctuations of the W15 in Texas. Team principal Toto Wolff remains unconcerned about the future, though he acknowledges Mercedes’ decline in the hierarchy.

“I believe this is a data-driven sport, and there will be extensive analysis to understand why we were the fastest on Friday evening, why we were no longer competitive in Saturday’s qualifying, what the data shows, and how it relates to the race,” Wolff explains.

“That’s why I’m not overly concerned. It’s just the situation we’re in – we’ve returned to underdog status. We’re not back to where we were before the summer.”

“It’s not about approaching the weekend thinking, ‘Right now, we’re the fourth-best team, how do we move up to third or second?’ We’re managing our expectations for the rest of the year, treating this as a testing phase while still pushing as far as possible each weekend.”

The Austrian acknowledges that work for 2025 is already underway but is more optimistic about Mexico: “I think this weekend will be less puzzling. In a way, when we arrived at the weekend, I mentioned wanting two scenarios that would help us move forward.”

“Either everything works, and the car is fast because we understand what the performance upgrade should bring in theory. Or it’s the opposite, and we face inconsistencies with the update, and the car doesn’t improve.”

“But we also have a clear direction. Now, as I’ve said, I think the upgrade itself is solid. It’s just the elements interacting with each other that create situations leading to such inconsistent behaviour from the car.”

Focus on Mexico: Antonelli returns to the W15 for FP1

What are the team’s expectations for Mexico?

“After a challenging weekend in Austin, we have the opportunity to bounce back immediately in Mexico. Our performance in Texas demonstrated that the car possesses inherent potential.”

“Our challenge is to extract that performance consistently. It’s not the result of any specific issue but rather the interaction between the car’s aerodynamic and mechanical factors. We still have five races to work on this before the season ends. It’s crucial we do so, not only for our immediate performance but also to prepare thoroughly for 2025.”

“Mexico’s high altitude presents a unique challenge. The power unit has to work harder, and to compensate for the lack of air, we run maximum downforce.”

“Kimi Antonelli will also be in the car for his second FP1 session (replacing Lewis Hamilton), and we’re eager to see him continue his development on track.”