Toto Wolff says Mercedes is losing almost half a second to rival Ferrari in the opening sector of the Hungaroring, and must be wary of its opponents' potential off the line in the race
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel topped the second and third practice sessions while Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton in particular – lacked pace.
But wet conditions in qualifying brought Mercedes to the fore, as Hamilton beat team-mate Valtteri Bottas to pole position, leaving Ferrari to lock out the second row of the grid.
Wolff, though, has stressed that Mercedes must be alert to any threat in Sunday’s race, which is set to take place in comparable hot and sunny conditions to Friday.
"At the moment they have the best package and they have a chassis that works well, and an engine that has leapfrogged everybody,” said Wolff.
“We were losing four tenths in the first sector, and that is something that is very difficult to catch and as I always say, credit to them, this is not the old loop of ‘we are lacking engine power’, we’re not saying that.
“We have been benefiting for many years of engine power, but Ferrari has done a job, now, that makes everybody needs to catch up.
“So far we haven’t lost any pace in the dry, but I think that our car is still, over all race circuits, the quickest one. But overall package, we have fallen back a little bit after Austria.
“I think in Hungary it’s extremely difficult to overtake so everything is going to depend on the start of the race. The run down to Turn 1 is very long, so any advantage, start advantage or power advantage, can be a threat for us.
“We’ve seen that Ferrari has been very strong in that area in the past races. So far it’s so difficult to make predictions. If you were able to hold on to a 1-2 after the start, then obviously that would be very positive.”
Wolff also praised Hamilton’s recovery in the wake of a difficult final practice session, in which he had several off-track excursions, including a spin, before going on to take pole position.
“What particularly impresses me is that he didn’t have the easiest of sessions during this weekend,” said Wolff.
“In Hockenheim in the race he came back, it was one of the best drives I’ve seen from him.
“Equally this weekend in FP3, he wasn’t particularly happy with his own driving, Valtteri has the pace advantage.
“Come qualifying, the session that matters, Q3, those last two laps he was there, and that is a great champion’s ability.”
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