Wolff lays out simple instruction for Mercedes in Australia

Toto Wolff wants Mercedes to use learnings from the Australian Grand Prix to spearhead its development targets for the rest of the season, as he highlighted its biggest weakness.

Mercedes could only finish sixth and ninth in the Saudi Arabian GP last time out, having struggled through the high-speed Sector 1, with Lewis Hamilton bemoaning a lack of rear stability throughout the weekend.

The W15 package is stronger in low and medium-speed corners, but Wolff has described its high-speed weaknesses as a “fundamental issue” the team must solve.

In what was a disappointing 2023 season, Australia proved one of Mercedes’ strongest races, with a two-three on the grid before Hamilton finished second to Max Verstappen as George Russell retired with engine failure.

Returning to the Albert Park circuit, Wolff is keen for Mercedes to gather information at a circuit with a mix of high to medium speed corners that can be used to steer its development focus.

“We’ve been hard at work since Jeddah building on the learnings from the first two races,” explained Wolff.

“It’s encouraging to see the potential in the W15 but there are also clear areas of improvement, we have looked competitive in low and medium-speed corners but high-speed has been a weakness so far.

“We have been working hard to understand why our performance hasn’t reflected our expectations. Improving that is a major focus.

“We hope to make some initial progress for Melbourne, and that work will guide our development in the weeks ahead.

“It’s great to feel the energy and determination running through the factories as we work to unlock the potential of the car.

“We left points on the table in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, we started off each weekend strongly, running our usual practice programmes, but couldn’t deliver on that initial promise.

“With the chasing pack being so close, maximising the potential of the car each weekend is key. Albert Park gives us another chance to show what we can do.”