Spanish Grand Prix: Toto Wolff believes Barcelona will be 'litmus' test of Mercedes' improvement

Despite the ongoing performance of the Mercedes squad in recent weeks of the Formula 1 season, team principal Toto Wolff reveals the potential weakness of the car. The W15 has been a slow starter as the team won their first podium after eight rounds in Montreal last week. 

However, the team principal believes that the car will be tested in Barcelona during the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. “We have continued to make incremental gains across the past few races. It was encouraging therefore to take another positive step forward in Canada,” Wolff said ahead of the weekend in Spain.

“To see that translate into our strongest team result of the season so far is a reward for everyone’s hard work. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a unique track, however. It has a narrow range of corner speeds and, with a newly re-laid surface, was something of an outlier compared to more traditional venues."

"We know our competitors will perform more strongly at upcoming races so we will need to continue to work hard to consistently get ourselves in the fight for podiums, and eventually, race wins”, he added. 

How will Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya test W15?

Speaking about his car and Barcelona’s Catalunya circuit Toto Wolff admitted that W15 has not been good at those things that are demanded at the Spanish Grand Prix. He said, “Barcelona will provide a good test of our progress.”

Also Read: Spanish Grand Prix 2024: Fastest lap, most wins & records

“It has a mix of fast, medium, and low-speed corners, a long straight, and plenty of elevation change. Tracks that contain this wide speed range have been a weakness of ours so far this year." 

Also Check: Spanish Grand Prix 2024: Expert Odds and Top Picks for Barcelona Grand Prix

"This weekend will therefore provide another opportunity to evaluate our progress through our recent updates, and we hope to build on the positive momentum from Montreal.”