Mercedes doesn't want to accept the role of favourite: "This is our mindset"

In a month and a half the Formula 1 season will probably start with the Austrian Grand Prix. The big question is who will be the favorite for the world title in 2020. Toto Wolff doesn't dare to answer that question and states that Red Bull Racing and Ferrari (just like Mercedes) are also in good shape.

"We've never seen ourselves as a favorite in all these years," says Wolff at RTL. In conversation with the German medium, the Austrian stresses once again that Mercedes doesn't deliberately put the pressure on the other teams and wants to crawl into the underdog role. "I know a lot of people will now say 'look, there he goes again, they want to keep themselves small again'. But this is really our mindset."

Wolff is of the opinion that it's that mindset that has ensured the many successes of recent years. "Our mindset is that it's never good enough. That helps us to bring innovations to the car and to improve performance quickly," said the 48-year-old team boss, who has grabbed the world title with Mercedes over the past six years.

Wolff doesn't make harsh statements

At Red Bull they are convinced that this year they can challenge Mercedes more than ever. Ferrari, on the other hand, has had a difficult winter and fears that they will fall far behind their two rivals. Wolff doesn't want to draw any conclusions after the winter tests in February. "Well, who's favourite?", he asks himself out loud. "Based on the past few years we belong to a group of favourites, that's obvious. But the same is certainly true for Ferrari and Red Bull."