Toto Wolff has explained why he feels modern F1 cars are like a "surprise box" after the surprising performance swings at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Mercedes' George Russell dominated the Marina Bay race, taking pole position and the victory on a track which has not previously supported the characteristics of the W16, with hot and humid conditions on a bumpy circuit traditionally not to the car's liking.
Elsewhere, McLaren's expected dominance did not materialise in Singapore, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of both in qualifying and the race, with high downforce also not suiting the RB21 machine.
Amid the wild fluctations in performance, Mercedes' chief Wolff has described how the ground effect cars are like a "surprise box."
"With these cars, they are just a surprise box," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.
"If you ask McLaren why the last three races haven't gone at all well, they would probably struggle for answers in the same way that Max [Verstappen] was coming back, and then lacking performance [in Singapore].
"It is the same with the Ferraris oscillating between success and failure, it is just that the margins are so small in having the car in the right aerodynamic window, in extracting the maximum mechanical grip and without killing the tyres and the sweet spot of the Pirellis.
"It doesn't always correlate with what you see in the virtual world, in the simulations to what happens on the track."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix! Lando Norris' move on Oscar Piastri is a major talking point, as is Max Verstappen's title chances now being very much alive.
Rather watch on YouTube? Then click here!
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