“We must manage our expectations,” Toto Wolff doesn’t see Mercedes becoming a nuisance for rivals at the Canadian GP

Toto Wolff has downplayed Mercedes's chances at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix.

“We must manage our expectations,” Toto Wolff doesn’t see Mercedes becoming a nuisance for rivals at the Canadian GP

Toto Wolff (Credits: CBS Sport)

Toto Wolff has been in the headlines for revealing that Lewis Hamilton is extremely close to signing a contract extension at Mercedes. While this has happened, Wolff has admitted that he and his team are not expecting a repeat of Barcelona’s sensational performance at the Gilles-Villeneuve F1 circuit.

Toto Wolff feels the characteristics of the circuit are very different from what Mercedes experienced in Barcelona, and thus, does not see an extremely strong weekend for his team. While talking to Sky Sports, he said, “The result in Spain was a well-deserved reward for everyone’s efforts at Brackley and Brixworth to bring our update package to the track. We were pleased with how it performed, and it will provide a new baseline for us to build from.”

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“But we must also manage our expectations. It was a circuit that suited our car, and we should expect our direct competitors to be stronger in the next races. The gap to Red Bull is large and it will take lots of hard work to close that down. Nevertheless, we’re up for the challenge. We now move on to Montreal. With its long straights and low-speed corners, it’s not a track that we expect to suit our car as well as Barcelona did,” he added.

The Austrian has given an in-detail account of the difference between the characteristics of the Barcelona-Catalunya and the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit. He thinks it would be difficult for his team to close the gap to Red Bull at the course but has indicated that the Barckley-based team is up for the challenge.

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Toto Wolff claims that Mercedes will try its best to churn out a strong performance in Canada

Toto Wolff (Credits: Autosport)
Toto Wolff (Credits: Autosport)

While Toto Wolff has revealed that the 2023 Canadian GP would be a hard nut to crack for the Brackley-based team, he has, however, made it clear that Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and the rest of the Mercedes crew will try their best to come away with as many points as possible from the upcoming weekend.

Mercedes is in an extremely tight battle in the Constructors Championship with the lights of Aston Martin and Ferrari, and they would look to finish ahead of them in Canada. As things stand, Mercedes is second in the Championship and is only a point ahead of the Fernando Alonso-led F1 team.

Considering everything, much is on the line for Toto Wolff and Co. at the Canadian Grand Prix. It will be fascinating to see how the team would cope with the arduous challenges of the Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit. How many points do you believe Mercedes could score during the Canadian GP?

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