Mercedes are ready to grind their rivals into the dirt over the second half of the Formula One season en route to clinching both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
That is the warning from motorsport boss Toto Wolff ahead of the sport’s return from its summer break in Spa this weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have already turned the race for the drivers’ crown into a two-horse affair, winning nine of the 11 races to date. Daniel Ricciardo, the only other driver to take the chequered flag, is the best of the rest, but 71 points adrift of Rosberg and 60 shy of Hamilton.
In the battle for the constructors’ title, Mercedes are on course to shatter Red Bull’s record haul of 650 since the new points format was introduced in 2010. The Brackley -based marque currently have 393, and are 174 ahead of reigning champions Red Bull, whose four-year reign is destined to come to an end.
Despite Mercedes’ domination to date, Wolff wants more, in particular given the technical gremlins that occurred before the recess, notably blighting Hamilton’s charge.
“Looking ahead to Spa, and reflecting on our recent performances, it is clear reliability must be a key focus for the team if we are to maintain the hard-earned advantage established in the opening stages of the year,” said Wolff.
“We approach the remaining eight races with the firm target of making this next phase of the season even better than what we have achieved so far.
“Although the team has done a fantastic job, we are fully aware this championship is far from decided, as demonstrated clearly in Hungary by the performance of some of our competitors.”
Of key interest will be how Wolff handles the battle between his two championship protagonists, especially after the team orders furore that unfolded in Hungary.
As for Hamilton, the 29-year-old can only hope the wretched luck that ran against him late on in the first half of the year is now finally behind him.
“There were so many positives to take from the opening 11 races, but both myself and the team always want more and know we are capable of more," said Hamilton.
