Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes the cooling weakness from Austria has been resolved after testing an upgrade at Hockenheim.
As temperatures rose to the highest figure seen all year at 38C on Friday, it provided the perfect opportunity for the Brackley-based squad to evaluate their new package.
And while perhaps not yet perfect, Wolff was satisfied the changes had made a big enough impact.
“In terms of engine cooling, we’re in a good space. It was not a problem anymore. Or, better space,” he told Sky Sports.
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That being said, the pace of the Mercedes was still down compared to their rivals, with Ferrari leading the way in both sessions in Germany.
“I think it is the grip level. We have seen the Ferraris going very strong through the corners today and that should have been us in the past,” he explained.
“It is so hot, that all teams are plateauing on the grip level. You overheat the surface [of the tyre] at a certain stage and you can’t really extract downforce anymore.”
In addition to the cooling, Mercedes has also brought performance improvements to the W10 at Hockenheim, but Wolff doubts it will make a significant difference.
“I think everyone brought an upgrade,” he added. “Some are advertising them more than others. But, you need to think that everyone has brought it.”
