Red Bull Racing had a better strategy during the Mercedes Grand Prix, allowing Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez to pass Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas respectively. However, the German stable is far from giving up.
Toto Wolff indicates in the preview towards the race in Styria that he sees plenty of positives at Mercedes. "After the disappointment of missing the win had faded, there were plenty of positives to take from France. We scored a good haul of points with P2 and P4 and the pace of the car was an encouraging step forward compared to Monaco and Baku, thanks to the hard work of our team members at the factories and at the track."
The Mercedes team boss expects a difficult race next weekend. "Austria has been a tricky circuit for us in past seasons, but we went well there last year. We know the situation is very different this season, though. It's a very quick lap and a short circuit, with fewer opportunities to gain time. The margins are going to be tight, so we'll give it maximum attack."
Mercedes in pursuit
Mercedes is currently twelve points behind leader Verstappen with Hamilton. In the constructors' championship, the Germans also have to let Red Bull go-ahead for the time being. The Austrian formation currently has 37 points more than its rival.