Toto Wolff did not expect this scenario

Le clan Mercedes broke out in a cold sweat again at the first corner of the Gilles Villeneuve track last night during the Canadian Grand Prix. With the two W07 Hybrid single-seaters on the front line, the specter of Barcelona, ​​where Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had stuck in the same corner, was necessarily present in the minds of the thinking heads of the German brand.

The slight contact between the two pilots, which followed the loss of control of the race after the stratospheric flight of Sebastian Vettel, did not fail to provoke the reaction of Toto wolff, executive director of the German team.

“Lewis reported on the radio that he was understeering and his front tires were cold entering the corner, and there was some risk of Nico going over the outside line, admits the Mercedes boss. It was a tough maneuver and you don't expect to exit turn 2 with cars in 2nd and 9th positions while you start from the first line. To be honest, these discussions after each race give me a bit of a feeling of déjà vu. »

For Mercedes, the overall result did not meet expectations after a good duel with Ferrari in qualifying. For the Germans, the response seen in Montreal from the Team can only encourage Toto Wolff's men to continue their efforts to maintain their leadership.

“From a team point of view, a number of factors meant that we did not leave Canada with a double podium, even if we did not score the most points in the Manufacturers' championship today. But the pace of Ferrari and Red Bull showed that the competition is there and we need to do everything the right way in order to maintain our position. »

Find the full report and analysis of the Canadian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Montreal, in issue 2067 of AUTOhebdo, available this evening at 22 p.m. in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.