W15 is now competitive on all circuits, says Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff

Following a strong showing from his team, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff claimed that the Brackley-based outfit's heavily-upgraded W15 is now competitive on a wide range of circuits.

With the sport heading to the Red Bull Ring, the Brackley-based team will look to continue the upward trend that has helped deliver back-to-back podiums in Canada and Spain, as well as George Russell's pole in Montreal.

Compared to the start of 2024, W15 was definitely equipped to deal with the challenges of Barcelona last weekend. Lewis Hamilton secured his first podium finish since last year's Mexican Grand Prix while his team-mate led the early stages of the 66-lap Barcelona race and finished in P4.

Commenting on the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff noted: "We head to Austria looking to continue that positive progress trackside. It is a very different circuit to last weekend, and that will provide another challenge and bellwether for our car.

"It has plenty of low-speed content, punctuated by some longer straights and a relatively high-speed middle sector."

Mercedes' improvements in recent races have been well documented. Wolff said his team feels that the W15 can display a competitive performance at all types of circuits.

"The team has worked hard to improve W15's competitiveness at circuits with a wide speed range, such as last weekend. Those incremental gains helped us build on the momentum we had established in Montreal.

"Whilst we didn't have the ultimate pace to compete for the win (at Barcelona), it was encouraging to be in the mix at the front. Lewis drove a great race to score a well-deserved podium and George managed his final stint well to take P4. That ensured we came away from the weekend with a solid points haul."

The gap to the front may have been closed on the form of Montreal and Barcelona, but the work to make wins a possibility will not relent.

"We know there is more work to do to be in with a realistic chance of fighting for victories. That work is ongoing, and we are on an upwards development trajectory. The group at the front of the field is tightly packed, and we will have to be at our best to challenge for the podium once again."