Mercedes unhappy with medium tyre pace

  • Published on 24 Aug 2018 18:31
  • comments 0
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says that it was a mixed day of running for the Silver Arrows, who failed to top either Friday practice sessions. The first practice session saw Lewis Hamilton finish three-tenths behind Sebastian Vettel, who topped the timesheets.

In the second session, the Brackley outfit got closer to Ferrari, with Hamilton ending up just over a tenth of a second down on pace-setter Kimi Raikkonen. Wolff says that he is expecting a close fight with Ferrari for the rest of the weekend. 

“Mixed," the Austrian said when asked what kind of day Mercedes had. "I think we were doing okay on the single lap pace, it was very tight with Ferrari. Then we were good on the softer tyres but not so good on the mediums.”

Both Mercedes and Ferrari has arrived in Belgium with upgraded engines, but it is still too early to determine which team has done the better job: "It is the third power unit and obviously we have two power sensitive circuits to come in here and then Monza,” Wolff stated.

"We have made a little step so let’s see how we can monetise it tomorrow in qualifying. Yeah I think we have seen that in the last engine iterations that we were able to make steps forward. I don’t know what Ferrari has achieved, we will see the truth tomorrow in Q3. I am hopeful that we have made the right step.”

While Wolff says that Mercedes has indeed made a small improvement with its new engine, Ferrari's Raikkonen doesn't think that the Italian power unit will have improved by a huge amount.

"Obviously we never put in the car anything we don’t think is a bigger step forward or better so it’s not possible to say. It’s not a night and day difference ever, otherwise you could see by yourself if that was the case. All went OK but it was only Friday so who knows what will happen in the weekend.”

 

Fergal Walsh

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Mercedes
  • Points 3,154
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 184
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (38)
  • Place of b. Tewin, GB
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.74 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar