Mercedes are set to introduce a highly-anticipated and major upgrade package at next weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in a bid to help turnaround their fortunes.
The Silver Arrows have lagged well behind pace-setters Red Bull in the opening five races of the season but are hopeful the updates will be the start of a push to get back to the front.
“For 8 years we have been the most competitive and we have won all the championships,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told DAZN.
“The last season and the beginning of this one has been difficult. Although we have done good performances, we have climbed to the podium, it has been very difficult days. A lot of ups and downs, but also a lot of learning.
“I think the most complicated thing is that we don’t understand when our car is fast and when it’s slow.
“I think that with the step we will take in Imola, we believe, let’s cross our fingers, that the balance of the car will be more stable. That’s when we can develop it. I think we will be able to reverse the situation there.”
Speaking at the Miami Grand Prix, Wolff moved to cool expectations over the upgrade package.
“We need to manage our own expectations, because we’re bringing an update package that’s going to consist of new suspension parts, and bodywork and some other things,” he said.
“But I have never in my 15 years in F1 seen a silver bullet being introduced, where suddenly you unlock half a second of performance. So, I very much doubt that this is going to happen here.
“But what I’m looking forward to is that we take certain variables off the table, where we believe we could have introduced something that we don’t understand in the car.
“[I am hoping] we can go more to a stable platform, and then we should see where the baseline is and what we can do from there.”
