Toto Wolff believes in a Mercedes comeback in Brazil – while George Russell and Kimi Antonelli talk about the close battle and learning progress
Toto Wolff is looking forward to the Brazilian Grand Prix with confidence. After difficult weeks in Austin and Mexico, Mercedes wants to fight back in the battle for second place in the constructors’ championship. “Four races to go. Only one point separates us from Ferrari, Red Bull is only nine points behind,” explains Wolff ahead of the weekend in São Paulo. “We’ve had a few tough weekends, but we’re still in the fight for P2. Each of these four events will be crucial.”
The team boss believes that the traditional Interlagos circuit offers the right terrain to make a comeback, after all, George Russell won his first Formula 1 Grand Prix there in 2022. “While our advantage over our rivals disappeared in Austin and Mexico, we can strike back in Brazil,” Wolff emphasizes.
Interlagos does not forgive mistakes
In addition to the classic Grand Prix, Brazil will also host the penultimate sprint weekend of the season—an additional factor in the close World Championship duel between Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. “The penultimate sprint weekend of the year means we have to give our best right from the start,” says Wolff.
“Interlagos is an old-school track with uneven asphalt, elevation changes, and many different types of corners. Add to that the unpredictable weather, and there’s little room for error.” Wolff emphasizes that precision is now key: “No matter what the weekend brings, our goal is to work well from the start, perform better than our competitors, and get back in front of our closest rivals.”
Russell: It will come down to the last tenth
George Russell, who celebrated his first Grand Prix victory in Brazil in 2022, expects an extremely close battle with Ferrari and Red Bull. “I think we have no idea,” says Russell when asked whether Mercedes could have the upper hand in Brazil.
“The competition is so close right now, and the last few weekends have been decided by a tenth or a tenth and a half in qualifying. So it will come down to that one lap in Q3, a clean start, and a good strategy.” Russell emphasizes that there are no clear favorites in the current Formula 1 season. “It’s very close between all of us,” he sums up.
After Brazil: Mercedes the top favorite in Las Vegas?
Looking ahead to the remaining races, especially in Las Vegas, the Briton sees opportunities—but no guarantees. “Basically, we have nothing to lose, so we have more opportunities to fight for victories,” explains Russell, who triumphed in Las Vegas last year.
“But at the end of the day, if they qualify ahead of us, we have no chance of fighting wheel-to-wheel. Vegas will be a good opportunity for us, I think. We usually do well there when there’s no tire overheating. I think it will be that kind of track again.”
However, he doesn’t believe Mercedes will be as strong there as it was last year: “We’ve improved the car for a 24-race season, and that will tend to hinder it on some extreme tracks, like Vegas.” Nevertheless, recent races in Baku and Singapore have shown that Mercedes plays to its strengths in tight corners. The cold temperatures at night should also help.
But first comes Brazil, about which Russell says: “If it’s a simple one-stop strategy, overtaking is still difficult. If a two-stop race is more realistic, it could be exciting. It’s often been a two-stop race here, and the long straight helps with overtaking. So I hope it’s possible—but we just don’t know,” said the Mercedes driver.
Antonelli: I’m much more in control now
For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will be driving in Brazil for the first time, Interlagos is another milestone in his learning curve. The Italian has made tremendous progress in his first year in Formula 1 after the European season did not go as planned. “With experience, you simply play a much bigger role in everything,” explains Antonelli. “With experience, you know how to behave when you’re getting to know new tracks or when you have a sprint weekend.”
The 19-year-old adds: “I’m more in control now, even though there are still things I need to do better. But compared to the start of the season, I’ve learned to react better through many different scenarios. That has helped me a lot.”
