Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has admitted that their engine is no match for Ferrari's "ridiculous" power.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took an easy pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, beating his own team-mate by more than seven-tenths. Whilst Lewis Hamilton only narrowly missed out on beating Sebastian Vettel to second, Wolff conceded that they're unable to match the Ferrari's straight-line speed.
"We knew that it was going to be difficult and probably third and fourth was what we expected as the optimum result," he said after qualifying. "I think it could have been second, but we have a deficit [to Ferrari] with our package.
"That [deficit] is enormous and the power is just ridiculous on Ferrari on these kinds of tracks. You have got to do everything right and we didn't."
Wolff is referring to their qualifying strategy of providing one another with a tow, which failed to materalise and almost saw Hamilton run into the back of team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
"Of course we know that the tow is important but today we tripped over our own feet," he added. "You want to do it extra perfect and then you are looking like an idiot and this is what happened twice today."
Wolff remains upbeat about their race pace though and isn't ruling out beating Ferrari on Sunday.
"I think there is everything to play for tomorrow. We have a strong race car and we know that they [Ferrari] have suffered more in the races but then the cold probably gives them an advantage.
"Straight-line speed they haven't got available like they have in qualifying, so it’s a totally different ball game today but I’m still upset about the Saturday."
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