Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has suggested that McLaren and Ferrari “could be in the mix” at the Portuguese Grand Prix this weekend.
Mercedes and Red Bull have taken a pole position and win apiece this season, while McLaren is the only other team to have appeared on the podium at the opening two rounds.
With Ferrari also in strong form following their disastrous campaign in 2020, Wolff has refused to rule out any of the current top four in the Constructors’ standings ahead of this weekend’s round in Portimao.
“Last year was our first race in Portimao,” Wolff said. “It’s an exciting, undulating track and produced some great racing in 2020; we also saw in qualifying and the opening laps that getting the tyres working properly is not easy.
“It’s still quite a new circuit for everyone, which should make things interesting and mean we are learning all through the weekend.
“We’re expecting another close fight with Red Bull, and both McLaren and Ferrari could also be in the mix too. So, let’s see how things play out in Portugal.”
Last time out at Imola, Mercedes endured a challenging race, with Valtteri Bottas retiring following a high-speed crash with George Russell.
Reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton slid into the gravel while lapping traffic, however he recovered to cross the line in second.
Despite Mercedes’ struggles, it still came away from Imola with both Championship leads intact, which Wolff has described as a “get out of jail free card”.
“Imola was a crazy race and the kind of grand prix that lives long in the memory,” he said.
“There were so many ups and downs and there were a few moments where it felt like we wouldn’t score any points at all.
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions, from the disappointment of Valtteri’s scary accident to the thrill of Lewis’ recovery drive.
“To come away leading both Championships almost felt like a get out of jail free card, because our rivals didn’t maximise the opportunity we gave them. And it just proves what a challenging season we have ahead of us and how quickly things can turn around in Formula 1.”
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