Wolff accepts ‘reality’ that Mercedes F1 car is off the pace
By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Auto Racing Writer
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff accepts the grim “reality” that their Formula One car is not good enough to challenge their main rivals this season. Wolff says ”I don’t think we can beat the teams in front of us.” But he knows where the W14 car’s faults lie. Wolff’s comments came a day after seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes is so far off the pace that he would need three teams to fall out of a race for him to have a chance to win. Red Bull dominated in Bahrain two weeks ago with a 1-2 finish from world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Hamilton was 51 seconds behind Verstappen in fifth place.