Toto Wolff reveals encouraging Mercedes conclusion after F1 Australian GP

Toto Wolff believes Mercedes have taken a “clear” step forward over the winter and that the inconsistency issues which plagued them over the past three seasons are no longer apparent.

Mercedes saw their cars finish in the top four at the season-opening F1 Australian Grand Prix.

George Russell enjoyed a lonely race to finish third behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Kimi Antonelli recovered from his Q1 exit to secure fourth after his penalty for an unsafe release was revoked.

Since the introduction of the ground effect rules in 2022, Mercedes have won just five races and often lagged well behind Red Bull, Ferrari, and more recently, McLaren.

Wolff feels that Mercedes have a “stable platform” with their W16 F1 car, and now it’s about “unlocking more potential and adding performance”.

“We leave Australia with many positives but also a healthy dose of realism as to where we stand in the pecking order,” Wolff said.

“The W16 provided a stable platform for the drivers, was less prone to swings in performance relative to the conditions than its predecessor, and at moments, showed strong enough pace to challenge at the front.

“It’s clear we have taken a good step forward over the winter. Our focus is now on unlocking more potential and adding performance. We are excited for that challenge.”

Wolff delighted with “flawless” Russell

While it was a quiet race for Russell, nailing the switch from dry tyres to intermediates ensured he could benefit from Oscar Piastri’s off-track moment.

Wolff described Russell’s race drive as a “top performance”. 

“The race itself was well-executed. We made the right decisions at the right time to claim our first podium of the season. George drove a flawless race, pushing when he needed to, managing his pace to capitalise on the podium and taking advantage of the opportunities when they presented themselves,” he explained.

“A top performance and just underlies his speed, maturity and intelligence.”

Antonelli went from 16th on the grid to finish fourth.

Like Russell, the timing of the switch to intermediates played a crucial role in him scoring a big result on his F1 debut.

But given it was his first race in F1, Antonelli’s composure, particularly when battling other cars, was impressive.

“For Kimi, he could not have asked for a more difficult task on his Grand Prix debut: starting out of position, facing extremely difficult conditions and, at times, a treacherous track,” Wolff added.

“Nevertheless, he handled everything that was thrown at him with a maturity beyond his years. His speed when in free air was impressive and his confidence and decisiveness when overtaking were superb. There will be challenging moments for him across the season, but we are pleased with the trajectory we are seeing from him already. P4 was a just reward.”