Mercedes boss plays down team form

Mercedes Executive Director Toto Wolff has played down suggestions that his team are now in the Formula One title picture.

Following Lewis Hamilton’s victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, many experts and analysts in the paddock believe that Mercedes are now in a position to challenge both Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull for the World Championship this season.

The 2008 Formula One World Champion is 48 points behind reigning F1 triple World Champ Vettel, whilst Mercedes are 69 points behind Red Bull in the constructors standings.

But while Vettel and Red Bull have built up a fairly healthy lead over the opening ten races of the season, with nine Grand Prix’s to go many believe the momentum has shifted to Hamilton and Mercedes with the Silver Arrows now converting their once qualifying dominance into their race performance with a better understanding of the Pirelli tyres.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff however has played down those claims insisting that Mercedes should use the remainder of the 2013 season to consolidate the teams position.

‘If half a year ago we would have talked about Championship opportunities in the Drivers’ or Constructors’ Championship it would have been absolutely crazy, If you look at our competitors they have been able to perform at the top in a sustainable way. Wolff told Autosport as quoted by Sky Sports.

‘That is what we need to achieve – consolidation should be the agenda for the second half of the year, not looking at the Championships.’

He also denied reports that Mercedes now have a better understanding of the Pirelli tyres.

‘We cannot be confident, it would be the wrong approach to say we have found the golden key now, It is about consolidating and analysing, trying to translate it into the coming circuits in terms of the circuit itself, track surface, track temperatures, energy of the corners. Every track is different