One week before the start of the Formula 1 season, Toto Wolff admits a certain leap into the unknown. The director of Mercedes first of all expects a sometimes strange first weekend, given the circumstances linked to the coronavirus crisis. The health protocol will inevitably make the atmosphere special, however he believes that the discipline can quickly forget this context if the show is on the track.
“I believe that we know what to do, we know that protecting our staff and all those present is the priority”, he said on the official F1 website. “But this is also new ground, we have never been in this situation. We talk about a lot of bubbles, less interaction with the other teams, with you [les médias] and the audience will be a new experience. F1 has always brought out the positives, and if we can do a great show on Saturday and Sunday, I think it will compensate for the strangeness. “
The hierarchy that will emerge from the first Grand Prix, contested on the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg, will finally give a clear indication of the forces involved. A trend may have seemed to emerge after the winter tests last February, but the crisis went through there, prompting the greatest caution regarding the forecasts. Without ever mentioning the name of Red Bull Racing, Toto Wolff seems however to be wary of Milton Keynes’ stable and also bet on a surprise.
“I think it’s always risky to assume that what you see in practice represents track performance”, he warns. “If we remember 2019 and what happened in Australia, it was totally different. We went to Australia [cette année] without expecting it to be easy but to have competition. You could see the strong will to run at some [lors des discussions ayant mené à l’annulation]because they felt like they had a great car. “
“I have no doubt that there will be the usual names. Perhaps with a few surprises: I believe Racing Point has a very good car and has shown promising lap times in Barcelona. There is no doubt that McLaren and Renault will have a role to play. So let’s wait and see. I’m still on the cautious side. I think we will have a first indication on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm, then on Sunday we will see who has the best package . “
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