Mercedes took a surprise victory in Spielberg, with George Russell capitalising on the contact between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Although lacking the raw pace to win in Austria, the team led by Toto Wolff can take confidence from today’s victory.
More updates are incoming from the factory in Brackley. The W15 is on a very promising trajectory, with the simulation data now accurately correlating to the track.
This gives James Allison and his technical department plenty of reason for optimism. The Silver Arrows are working on the next phase of their development, which will respond to the upgrade packages introduced by Ferrari and Red Bull.
The Mercedes Technical Director gave some fighting talk a few weeks ago, revealing that promising updates are in the pipeline. In light of today’s victory, the W15 is only a few tenths away from competing for wins regularly.
Whilst it took a stroke of fortune for Mercedes to win in Austria, their performance was still encouraging. Even at the height of their dominance, the Red Bull Ring was never a strong track for the German constructor.
Because of this, Toto Wolff is optimistic that Silverstone can be an even better weekend.
Mercedes aim for more progress with the W15
After today’s race, the Mercedes team principal reflected on the team’s progress:
“It is a great feeling to get back on to the top step of the podium. It is a fantastic reward for the hard work and efforts of everyone at Brackley and Brixworth.
“We have taken good steps forward in recent races, and we are excited about what is still to come.”
“We now look forward to Silverstone next week,” Toto Wolff highlighted.
“We are encouraged by our overall performance this weekend at a track that has not normally been a favourite for our cars.
“Our aim over the next few races is to continue to show progress and aim to get closer to the front.”
Although Mercedes needs more absolute pace, the tide is turning. Ferrari have not made the progress they hoped for with their Spain upgrade package.
Meanwhile, Red Bull are starting to feel the cost of limited wind tunnel time. Their development is plateauing, as evidenced by four teams taking race wins in 2024.
The Silver Arrows are also generally very strong from an operational standpoint. Combined with the significant upgrades that are incoming, there is no shortage of encouragement for Toto Wolff and his personnel.
