Mercedes leaves Miami with 20 points. George Russell was fourth, Lewis Hamilton finished P6. The W14 was a lot more competitive in Sunday's race than in qualifying, so Toto Wolff is satisfied. After all, not much more was in it.
"Two-years ago for a fourth and sixth, I don't think we would have been as delighted as we are today. But it's just a difficult car, and qualifying was difficult. Fourth and sixth is positive because the car was good," Wolff told Sky Sports.
Russell and Hamilton were sent off on two different strategies. The former started on mediums, the latter on hard tyres. Mercedes wanted to do something different with the seven-time world champion as he had to come from P13. "P13 is pretty difficult if you are starting on the same tyres as everybody. Therefore the hard was the better strategy."
Hopefully next step at Imola
In a fortnight' time, the Formula 1 circus settles down in Italy, for the sixth Grand Prix of the season at the Imola circuit. Wolff hopes that, with updates, Mercedes will be a bit more competitive again there. "I hope in Imola that we make a step, also in our understanding but we are a glass half empty. We are establishing a new baseline," he said.