Italy 2020 - GP preview - Mercedes

Toto Wolff

Spa had not been our strongest track in recent years, so it felt very good to redeem ourselves this year and leave Belgium with a 1-2. A few weeks ago, I was out on the track in Silverstone to watch our cars go through Maggots and Becketts; last weekend in Spa, I was watching the onboard of it going through Eau Rouge and Pouhon. Seeing the W11 driven in anger, attacking the circuit with everything they’ve got, is truly impressive and shows what a mighty machine this team has created – the result of a colossal effort from everyone in Brackley and Brixworth.

The second and third race of this triple-header take us to Italy, with stops in Monza and Mugello. The famous ‘Temple of Speed’ is a real low-downforce circuit where straight-line speed is crucial for a good result. The race was often won from pole in the past, which makes qualifying particularly important in Italy.

Both the power-sensitivity and the importance of qualifying make Monza a perfect track to test the impact of a new Technical Directive which comes into effect at the Italian Grand Prix. The TD limits the usage of engine modes, requiring teams to run the same ICE mode in qualifying and the race. It will be interesting to see how it will affect the order on Saturday and Sunday and we’re excited to prove our competitiveness under this new rule as well.