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Toto Wolff thinks a tougher week is in store for Mercedes at the Canadian GP
Mercedes had their breakthrough moment of the 2023 Formula 1 season in Barcelona, as the team secured their first double podium of the year. Lewis Hamilton came in second, with teammate George Russell behind him in third, and their success in the Spanish Grand Prix led to the idea that their big upgrades to the W14 were going to completely turn their season around.
However, the team has done their best in recent days to tamp down expectations ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. In Mercedes’ debrief following the Spanish Grand Prix, Andrew Shovlin outlined how their success in Barcelona might have been a one-off event.
Team Principal Toto Wolff is playing the expectations game as well.
Previewing the Canadian Grand Prix for the media, Wolff outlined how the circuit in Barcelona suited the upgraded W14, but things will be different in Montreal.
“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,” said Wolff. “Nevertheless, we’re up for the challenge.”
The track in Montreal might be suited for other teams, including Red Bull, thanks to its long straights and minimal turns. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has just 13 turns, but a number of long straights and three DRS zones, which could play to Red Bull’s strengths:
F1.com
“We now move on to Montreal,” said Wolff in the team’s preview of the Canadian Grand Prix. “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.”
Still, Wolff and Mercedes are up for the fight, and the team boss knows that regardless of the result, the will have more data on the W14 at their disposal when the checkered flag waves.
“No matter where the true pace of the car is this weekend, we will aim to maximise our result,” said Wolff. “The characteristics of the circuit will also provide further opportunity to learn about the W14 and feed into our development path.”
