Wolff claims Mercedes has pinpointed Brazil issue

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has claimed his squad has identified the issue that plagued it during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend.

Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell suffered heavy tyre wear during the race weekend, with Hamilton ending the race in eighth place.

Wolff described the event as Mercedes’ worst weekend in 13 years and post-race, it launched an investigation to uncover the root of its lacklustre pace.

The Austrian has now stated that the problem is now understood.

“Brazil was probably our most difficult weekend of the season,” Wolff said. “After promising performances in the US and Mexico, we didn't perform at our best in Brazil.

“We have been hard at work to identify the wrong turn we took with the set-up; we have done that.

“We understand our mistakes and can explain our performance loss to the field. That's important as we look to secure P2 in the Constructors' Championship.”

Wolff previews Las Vegas

This weekend, F1 will descend on Las Vegas for the penultimate round of the year.

As Mercedes looks to bounce back from a difficult round in Brazil, Wolff admits that the weekend will pose a challenge for the Brackley-based squad.

“In parallel, we have been preparing for the challenge of racing at a venue that is a complete unknown,” he said.

“We have prepared the best we can, using the limited information we have, and there are some unique characteristics we can anticipate.

“The schedule is offset compared to other races. We'll be running at night, where ambient and track temperatures will likely be in the single digits.

“Plus, the track layout itself is unusual with many slow corners but long straights. It's going to be a big challenge for us all and we're looking forward to taking it on.”