Toto Wolff says Mercedes needs to be aggressive in their approach, as Ferrari has decided to give new power unit to Carlos Sainz.
Even though Mercedes has a 33 points advantage on Red Bull with seven races remaining, Lewis Hamilton has only two points on Max Verstappen, which keeps the fight wide open. In fact, the team too is not taking their lead to be a comfortable one.
The changing conditions in Sochi helped Mercedes to claw back, but Verstappen made the most too to keep things in check on the drivers’ standings side. Looking ahead to Turkey and beyond, Wolff eyes an aggressive approach to remain ahead in the fight.
“There’s been a brilliant buzz in the Mercedes camp over the last week or so,” said Wolff. “Being back on the top step of the podium was an incredible feeling for all of us, and particularly after such a dramatic race weekend. It was obviously made even more special by being Lewis’ 100th race win in Formula One.
“In the moment, milestones like this are exceptional, but I think it will take time for us to all realise just how remarkable this period of time is, and how privileged we all are to be part of this journey with him. The final moments of the last race in Russia proved that anything can happen in F1 and fortunes can change in the blink of an eye.
“This season is keeping all of us on our toes and that’s something we’re enjoying immensely, but it also means we have to be aggressive with our approach to the season, in order to maximise the points available. That’s our focus for Turkey and beyond. I know Lewis, Valtteri and the entire team are fired up for the battle that lies ahead, and we look set for another exciting race this weekend at Istanbul Park, where there are still many unknowns for us because of the track surface and weather conditions in 2020.”
Moving on to their rivals, Ferrari has decided to put the new power unit on Sainz’s car after Charles Leclerc had his first chance in Russia. This will put the Spaniard on the back of the grid, but double the data gathering for the Italian manufacturer.
The initial report seems to be good, but Ferrari will analyse deeply to be certain with it ahead of the 2022 season. The team also informed that team boss Mattia Binotto will not attend the grand prix and will work from the Maranello base.
“As was the case for Charles Leclerc in Russia, in Turkey Carlos Sainz will take a completely new power unit fitted with the new hybrid system,” said the release. “Therefore he will start from the back of the grid with the aim of climbing up the order to try and score some points.
“Also, Mattia Binotto will not attend the Turkish Grand Prix, but as was the case several times last year, the Team Principal will be based in the Maranello factory to focus on development of next year’s car. He will of course follow all sessions and the race from the Remote Garage, with a permanent link to the team at Istanbul Park.”
Here’s Toto Wolff and Christian Horner on rest of 2021
Here’s Ferrari, Honda and Alpine on PU