Whereas the German producer was buoyed by Lewis Hamilton taking the runner-up spot within the China dash final weekend, it nonetheless endured a difficult most important grand prix because it got here residence behind McLaren and Ferrari once more.
However with there being no notable uptrend in its type regardless of the efforts it has made to higher perceive its W15, Wolff thinks that it has to elevate its recreation quite than assume that glimmers of hope are the fact of the place it’s at.
Chatting with ServusTV about his response to the Chinese language GP weekend, Wolff mentioned: “Not glad in any respect. Possibly a small spotlight with second place within the dash race, however the efficiency will not be there.
“We will preserve telling ourselves that there have been shiny spots on the weekend, however now we have to take a step.
“We’ll convey a little bit of one thing to Miami, the place hopefully we are able to anticipate one thing. However at the moment you are simply behind the Ferraris and behind [Lando] Norris. Simply not adequate.”
Mercedes has come into the 12 months upbeat concerning the progress it has made with its W15, and its early conclusion was the platform was sturdy however had some weaknesses in high-speed corners.
Nonetheless, as occasions have progressed, the crew has uncovered extra issues with the automobile, which makes it tough to search out the best candy spot with the set-up.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24, Zhou Guanyu, Kick Sauber C44
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
As Wolff admitted in China, positive factors it has made with its high-speed traits had been confirmed in Japan, however this progress was on the expense of its tempo in different corners.
“I feel we completely achieved that, within the excessive velocity we had been tremendous aggressive, additionally in Suzuka by the Esses, and it was day and evening in comparison with what we had earlier than,” mentioned Wolff.
“The drivers had been talking about it as the very best automobile they’d within the final two-and-a-half years. Then we actually didn’t carry out within the low speeds.
“So that you acquire half a second within the excessive velocity, however you lose half a second within the low velocity. The equation is again to zero, so that’s one thing we have to enhance.
“We’re past the purpose of understanding and we simply want to enhance now. That’s what it must hop to, and now we have all of the details on the desk.
“We all know what we tweaked with a purpose to clear up the high-speed, and we all know the place the automobile was earlier than to be fast within the low-speed. Now we simply must bolt the automobile collectively that does each of them.”
Whereas Mercedes has failed to complete on the rostrum in a grand prix thus far this season, Wolff doesn’t assume this 12 months’s automobile is worse than its earlier floor impact equipment.
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Crew, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Crew, wave on the crowds throughout the driver introduction
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
As a substitute, he thinks his squad was maybe flattered earlier than when rivals like McLaren and Ferrari had been having their very own aggressive struggles.
“The benefit we had was McLaren was not racing us for the primary half of the season, so that they weren’t a competitor,” he mentioned.
“Ferrari wasn’t as fast and dropped the ball on a number of events and that is why we had been a podium contender and closest to Pink Bull.
“Now these groups have picked up their efficiency ranges. This can be a relative recreation and out of the blue, what was adequate for third final 12 months is now [only] adequate for sixth. That is why it’s powerful.
“The automobile is as tough because it has been previously, tough for the drivers. George [Russell], after we mentioned it [on Saturday], mentioned it was the trickiest qualifying automobile he has had thus far. So total, in a approach, the identical signs.”
Watch: F1 2024 Chinese language Grand Prix Overview – Verstappen dominates