Mercedes' DAS system was again a hot topic at the Eifel Grand Prix last Sunday. Mercedes would have been able to take advantage of the cold weather, but Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff denies this was the case.
Low temperatures
It has rarely been as cold as it was at the Nürburgring, where the Eifel Grand Prix was held last Sunday. This made it difficult for the drivers to get their tires up to temperature, especially at the beginning of the race and after a safety car situation. Both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton said tire temperatures were getting too low.
The DAS system Mercedes came up with at the beginning of this year could be a solution: This helps to warm up the tires, making it the ultimate tool in cold temperatures. However, Toto Wolff denies that the DAS system played a major role during the race. "Red Bull Racing, especially Max, were very good in the first sector," he says in an interview with Autosport.com. "They were better at warming up, but we won time back over a whole lap.
Wolff does admit that the DAS system played a role. "It helped a bit," he explains. "It's a good way to keep some heat in the front tires. But it's not a game-changer like everybody thinks it is."