This is how the Mercedes team principal introduces Suzuka
There Mercedes in the first two races of the season he achieved as many doubles. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved a victory each and are separated by four points in the standings in favor of the English driver.
Toto Wolffhowever, knows that behind the scenes not everything went as smoothly as ‘appearances’ might lead one to believe: “We started the season in a positive way, but we must not exaggerate our enthusiasm. Both in Australia and China we risked compromising the weekend several times with these new and delicate cars. We were lucky that none of the problems encountered seriously affected our results, we must work to ensure that this continues.”
Now that Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been unblocked, it is Mercedes’ task to adequately manage the ‘transition’ of the Italian from a talented driver to a solid member of the starting grid: “His victory in China was a great achievement and a moment to be proud of. However, his attention and ours are on the future. His first victory is just a first step and the only thing that matters is how he will exploit it. We will support him to manage the expectations that come from reaching the top positions more consistently.”
Wolff hopes that the 2026 rules will allow drivers to overtake on a track that is very difficult for drivers overtakes like the one in Suzuka: “Suzuka is one of the most prestigious circuits in the world, but in recent years it has become a difficult place for overtaking. We hope that with these new regulations we will be able to offer a good show to the fans.”
