Toto Wolff claims Mercedes hopes to end first half of 2024 ‘strongly’ after five podiums in a row

Toto Wolff looks to get into the summer break on a strong note for Mercedes after a mediocre start to the season.

Toto Wolff claims Mercedes hopes to end first half of 2024 ‘strongly’ after five podiums in a row

Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has improved massively since the race in Imola. They had achieved five podiums consecutively with George Russell winning in Austria and Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone with his recent podium at Hungaroring. This success has helped them climb the ladder of Constructors championship with almost 80 points behind Ferrari. Toto Wolff expressed his views on the upcoming Belgian GP.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff expressed his opinion on the upcoming Belgian GP ahead of the Summer break. He mentioned that the team is currently on a positive streak, having achieved five consecutive podium finishes in the recent races with Lewis Hamilton’s 200th podium last weekend. Wolff highlighted the importance of maintaining this momentum and emphasized the team’s goal to continue performing in the upcoming race. The Austrian billionaire explained that by putting in the effort for the last time before the break, they hope to end the first half of the season on a high note. He stated this strong finish would be a great boost for the team as they prepare for the second half of the season.

We head into the final race before the summer break on a run of five consecutive podium finishes. We are therefore looking to continue that momentum and finish the first half of the season strongly.
Toto Wolff said.
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Further, Wolff mentioned that the top teams at the front will also put their best at Spa which will be very competitive. He mentioned that they are very close in terms of performance. Therefore the silver arrows need to be at their best to compete effectively. The 52-year-old highlighted that currently, they don’t have the speed compared to some of the top teams, but they’re working to improve the pace. Therefore, despite being slightly slower, the team is dedicated to making the car faster and better with each race. This ongoing effort is crucial for the team to stay competitive and achieve good results in the races ahead.

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The pack at the front is close and we will have to be at our best to do so though. Whilst we are lacking a little bit of pace compared to some of our competitors, we continue to bring performance to the car.
Toto Wolff added.
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Toto Wolff claims Mercedes positive trajectory is encouraging for upcoming races

Toto Wolff mentioned that the team is moving in a positive direction currently, which is a good sign. He stated, although the speed is not there to win races every weekend, the recent improvements have helped them compete for the top three. Wolff highlighted that the team’s hard work and continuous improvements are paying off, allowing them to be more competitive. He acknowledged that there is still work to be done to reach the level where they can challenge for victories in every race. However, the Austrian was encouraged by the progress they have made so far. Mercedes aims to continue the momentum and improve more so that they can fight for wins more often.

We are on a positive trajectory and that is encouraging. It is not yet enough to fight for victories consistently each and every weekend, but has enabled us to be in contention for the top-three more regularly.
Toto Wolff stated.
Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)

Further, while discussing the Belgian GP, Toto Wolff claimed Spa-Francorchamps presents very different challenges compared to the ones in Budapest. While Budapest had warmer temperature and more technical track layout, Spa is famous for its cooler atmosphere and high-speed corners. The 52-year-old expressed his curiosity to see how W15 performs under a cooler atmosphere compared to their rivals. He is eager to learn from the experience to prepare for the second half of the season.

Spa is a very different challenge to Budapest. With cooler temperatures and a much more high-speed layout, it will be interesting to see how the W15 performs compared to our rivals.
Toto Wolff added.

Certainly, Toto Wolff is eager looking forward to the upcoming Belgian GP, where the W15 will be put on test. Mercedes’s main goal is to compete for race wins at every event. However, they are currently struggling to achieve this goal due to a lack of speed in their car. Wolff reckoned to take the learnings from these races and Belgian and apply them for the second half of the season.

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