Toto Wolff plays down Mercedes advantage: 'We've been bitten before'

Toto Wolff has moved to dampen expectations around Mercedes ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton dominated the round in Nevada last season, exploiting the W15's love of cool conditions to finish one-two under the lights of Sin City.

The pair topped every session in qualifying, highlighting the team's strong one-lap and race pace, but Wolff has been quick to caution it may not be as straightforward 12 months on.

Highlighting that W16 is different to its Mercedes predecessor, the Austrian doubts Russell and new team-mate Kimi Antonelli will be easily able to replicate the result.

Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Wolff said: "Well, I've said: 'Let's just keep exactly the same car that we had last year. Let's not change it.'

"But unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. So we've got to be very analytical of what is the car that we need for Las Vegas, what is the ambient [temperature], and can really replicate the kind of performances?

"But I doubt it. We just need to go there, open-minded. It's a new weekend, and hopefully we're able to perform well."

'Bitten before'

Whilst on-track action has been moved to earlier in the evening, which would theoretically mean slightly warmer temperatures, a cold weather front threatens to offset the schedule change.

It could prove a decisive point in the fight for second in the constructors' standings, with Mercedes currently occupying the runner-up spot, 32 points clear of Red Bull in third and 36 points ahead of Ferrari in fourth.

Nonetheless, Wolff is careful not to let the eight-time constructors' champion get ahead of itself, warning of past false dawns.

When asked if Las Vegas is the team's last good chance for victory in 2025, to add to Russell's Canadian and Singaporean successes, Wolff refused to lay down a marker.

"Well, I would have said Silverstone is a great opportunity," the 53-year-old replied. "Montreal, we did win, but Silverstone, not at all, and Spa, which was not at all [competitive].

"So I don't want to set our expectations based on last year's result, because we've been bitten before. 

"In Brazil, for example, we dominated one year, the next one was nowhere. So I think I'm really looking forward to hitting the ground running in Las Vegas and then seeing what we can do."