Mercedes have a lot to learn after their rollercoaster ride at the Melbourne Grand Prix, team boss Toto Wolff admits. The big issue? McLaren’s cars are handling their tires way better, giving them a serious edge on the track.
“P3 and P5, that’s the result,” Wolff told reporters after the race. “If you look at the real pace today, we’d be P4, P5. It’s a solid first weekend.”
But Wolff isn’t celebrating just yet.
“Looking at it from the glass half-empty side, the pace of the McLaren is just very strong.”
The Mercedes chief didn’t mince words about what needs to happen next.
“Something we need to understand is the way they’re able to manage the tires and extract performance. We just need to get better,” he said. “If we want to fight for race victories and championships on merit, there’s definitely something we need to find.”
The tire problem is pretty straightforward. McLaren drivers can get their tires in the perfect operating window much faster than Mercedes drivers can.
Mercedes’ tires overheat too quickly, causing them to lose grip faster. This makes it really tough for them to keep pace with the leaders throughout a race.
And it’s not just McLaren that has Wolff concerned. He sees Red Bull Racing as another major threat they’ll need to contend with as the season progresses.
For Mercedes fans, the message is clear: the team has work to do if they want to return to the top of the podium.
