Mercedes have been in the battle for the world title since the start of the hybrid era in 2014, but it seems unlikely that they will be this season. Toto Wolff, speaking to Sky Sports, revealed that he is also taking this into account.
Between 2014 and 2020, it was the German team that won the World Championship. No fewer than six times Lewis Hamilton managed to pull out out of the bag, while once in 2016 it was Nico Rosberg who emerged victorious.
After Hamilton lost to Red Bull Racing last season and saw Max Verstappen become World Champion, Mercedes were hoping to put things right this season. The opposite was true, however, as Wolff and the team were unable to build a car with which they could compete.
The team boss now also seems to realise that a world title might be too high. He told the English media that he is also taking another scenario into account. "We might have to try and hold on to third place in the championship and see what we can learn," Wolff said.
Mercedes sees competition slipping further away
Behind the scenes, the formation also seems to be worried. A team engineer stated that the car's set-up is currently crucial for the remainder of the weekend. He also stated that the car could not match the qualities of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing.