Formula 1

Mercedes Toto Wolff: “Our goal is simple: to extract the maximum and win”

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Credit: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team Boss, Toto Wolff, says the squad’s goal at the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will remain the same as always, which is to win the race.

Regardless of what they have already achieved this year, the Austrian says the next race is always foremost in their minds, and having unlocked better performance than they had expected in Brazil and Mexico, Wolff is confident they can do the same this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Having not taken victory since the 2017 United States Grand Prix at the end of October however, Wolff is hopeful they can put an end to that drought on Sunday.

“Our goal in Abu Dhabi is quite simple: to give the best of ourselves, to extract the maximum from our “diva” in her final race – and to win.

“We saw promising pace in both Mexico and Brazil, both circuits where we had expected to struggle more than we did, and this is a positive sign of the progress we have made in understanding our difficulties this year.

“But we have not been on the top step of the podium since Austin and we are determined to change that in Abu Dhabi.”

Mercedes have won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the last three seasons in a row, and the Austrian would love to continue that trend in 2017 as well.

The Yas Marina Circuit is not a track that massively suits the W08 package on paper, with its numerous slow corners, however Wolff believes their recent progress on similar tracks means there is no reason why they should not perform well here too.

“Yas Marina is a circuit that holds intense memories for the team, with two title showdowns in the past three seasons. We have claimed three consecutive wins and very much intend to make it four this year.

“The circuit offers a range of slow to medium speed corners that perhaps are not our car’s most natural habitat, but our recent steps forward give us confidence that we can perform strongly there.”

Driver Lewis Hamilton has already secured the driver’s title this season but will be looking to end the season on a high with victory in Abu Dhabi.

Team-mate Valtteri Bottas meanwhile, does still have a slim chance of taking second place in the standings, should he win the race and Scuderia Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel not take the chequered flag, or cross the line in ninth place or lower.

Wolff feels that having taken two podiums in the last two rounds of the season, the Finn is on a roll and both his drivers will be aiming for the best possible result this weekend, a goal he and the whole of Mercedes support.

“Valtteri is on an upward swing of form, with two podiums in the past two races; and Lewis will be aiming to finish this historic season on a high. This is a goal that we all share.”

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