Wolff: don't be satisfied with the podium

Mercedes F1 was beaten by Scuderia Ferrari at the Australian GP with the strategy and driving of Sebastian Vettel, but also because of the performance of the SF70H. The stable of Maranello made it clear to the Silver Arrows that it intended to fight for the title after seeing the star-studded structure dominate the field for three seasons.

“The last three years have been unusual in F1 and we must remain cautious about our expectations, commented Toto wolff, the executive chairman of Mercedes Motorsport. If we think we can easily impose ourselves in the future based on past successes, we will quickly have proof that we were wrong. We must identify weaknesses and act accordingly. »

“We scored a double podium in the first race under the new regulations and it’s a solid result, added Toto Wolff. But that doesn't mean we can be satisfied because there are still areas to improve. We focused on it this last week. We do not seek inspiration from the competition, but we work on our own to improve our performance. »

A complete crew

Toto Wolff can particularly count on his drivers with Lewis Hamilton motivated by the desire to secure a 4th world title and Valtteri Bottas who showed himself in the rhythm of his teammate.

“I was encouraged by the approach of our drivers at the start of the season, confirmed Toto Wolff. Lewis is at his best in the last four years, both on and off the track. He has become a pillar of this team and he proved it in Melbourne. Valtteri acclimatized well to the team and performed at a high level, resisting pressure and replacing Nico (Rosberg) without any problems. »

Mercedes will have the chance to take its revenge this week with the Chinese GP played in Shanghai where it remains on 3 victories. The last success of Scuderia Ferrari in this event dates back to 2013 with the victory of Fernando Alonso.