F1 News

Mercedes struggling with engine development for 2019

Mercedes struggling with engine development for 2019

06-12-2018 18:49

Bevan Youl

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team boss, has said that the team have had a “setback” with its engine development ahead of the 2019 F1 season whilst talking at an event for team sponsor Hewlett-Packard.

Speaking at the event he talked about the team having set itself higher goals for 2019 based on paddock intelligence of the progress their rivals teams were making.

 “There is a tremendous development race that is happened as we speak.”

“Finding downforce, reducing drag and of course the engine is a very important part, adding more horsepower to the engine.”

“So we are setting ourselves really ambitious targets. We have actually increased the targets six weeks ago because we heard some rumours that others were doing well.”

“We’ve had a little bit of a setback on the engine side where we believed the new concept would deliver a little bit more. But these guys are very ambitious like all of us and so I’m optimistic.” When speaking of the development on the power unit.

“We will know when the first qualifying session gets underway in Melbourne, this is the moment where everybody shows their cards.”

Mercedes have won the past five constructors! Championships in a row since the regulations on the power units were changed in 2014. They were dominant for the first two years, but Ferrari and Red Bull have closed the gap in the past two years, especially this season just gone.