(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes has been the benchmark this season so far, securing seven wins from the first nine races and leading the Constructors’ Championship by 78 points over Ferrari. However, the Silver Arrows have recently struggled with reliability, which is why team boss Toto Wolff is now speaking out clearly.
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“Lately, we have left too much on the table. That must not happen anymore from this weekend onwards,” says the Austrian ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix (all sessions in the live ticker!) in Spa. “The last races have shown where our strengths lie and in which areas we still need to improve.”
“We have a car with which we can fight at the front and score many points. However, we have not been able to convert this potential into the best possible results.” Because after George Russell’s technical failure in Canada, there were two consecutive breakdowns for Kimi Antonelli in Barcelona and Silverstone.
Where Kimi Antonelli lost the most points in the 2026 championship battle
“Reliability issues have cost us points, and we cannot afford that in such a fiercely contested championship,” Wolff then states even more clearly. “It is no use having the pace if we do not achieve countable results.”
Mercedes wants to deliver a “clean weekend” in Belgium
In Silverstone, Ferrari was able to significantly reduce the gap, which should not happen at the race in Belgium. “Spa is one of the biggest challenges on the race calendar,” says the Mercedes team boss. “As in Silverstone, energy management will play an important role, but the characteristics of the track pose different demands.”
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Where George Russell lost the most points in the 2026 championship battle
“Usually, there are exciting races and real overtaking opportunities here, while qualifying remains a big challenge.” In qualifying, Russell and Antonelli recently gained a small advantage with a clever trick.
Although Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc ultimately took the win in Silverstone, the Silver Arrows are again considered favorites on the Ardennes rollercoaster in Belgium. “Here begins the last double-header before the summer break, and we want to go into the break with a better result,” says Wolff.
The Mercedes team boss knows what matters this weekend: “Our goal is to deliver a clean weekend, ensure the necessary reliability, and convert the car’s existing performance into points,” says Wolff.
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