Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed his team’s concerns ahead of the upcoming Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Beginning this coming Friday with the Grand Prix on Sunday, this night race follows closely on the heels of the beautiful Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, the Singapore Grand Prix promises to be a heated challenge for not just for the machinery involved, but even more so for its drivers as they brave the difficult conditions of the iconic track.
As Mercedes prepares for the race, Wolff has admitted that controlling tire temperatures are their main challenge.
Reflecting on the team’s performance in Azerbaijan, the Austrian businessman pointed out the inconsistencies that plagued the team.
“After a mixed weekend in Azerbaijan, we will take the learnings from Baku and aim for an improved performance in Singapore,” Wolff said via RacingNews365.
George Russell’s impressive performance on hard tires in his Baku campaign came as a surprise after he struggled on the mediums — an issue that Wolff admitted needs urgent attention:
“At times, our pace was strong but we couldn’t deliver that consistently. Our main challenge was controlling tyre temperatures and something we know we need to improve upon,” he explained.
The Marina Bay circuit poses a distinct set of challenges. The track is known for its demanding nature, with high heat and humidity levels contributing significantly to the physical strain on drivers and team members.
“We head straight to Singapore for the second race in this doubleheader. Although a street circuit like Baku, Marina Bay is a different challenge.
“Physically, it is incredibly demanding on both the drivers and team members. The heat and humidity play a big role in that but so does the track itself.”
Moreover, the track’s unique bumpy surface and a mix of low- and high-speed corners only amplify the difficulty. These factors create a perfect storm whereby tire temperature management becomes both critical and challenging, especially in Singapore’s notorious heat.
“It is bumpy in places, contains a mixture of both low and high-speed corners, and the walls are waiting to catch you out.”
Mercedes’ roller-coaster performance in Azerbaijan serves as a case study for their preparation in Singapore. “Whilst we came away with a podium though, we know that it was fortuitous and we were P5 on merit,” Wolff admitted. This fortuitous podium finish belies the underlying struggle with consistency and control — issues Mercedes is keen to rectify as it prepares upgrades for its W15.
The Brackley team had an exceptional run before the summer break, clinching three victories in four races. However, their performance since the Summer break has been less stellar, allowing Ferrari to gain an upper hand in recent races. The strategic focus for Mercedes now involves assimilating lessons from Azerbaijan and honing in on consistent performance across varying track conditions by opening up the operating window of its cars. A substantial upgrade is expected for Austin.
“It is encouraging that, when we get the car working, we have the pace to be competitive,” Wolff ended.
