Mercedes' Toto Wolff has offered some insight into where his team appear to be finding time over Red Bull, after Mercedes took a comfortable 1-2 in first practice at the Circuit of the Americas. While Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton finished first and second and just 0.045 seconds apart, their times were 0.9 seconds clear of what Max Verstappen could manage on the same Soft tyre compound. It's a hugely encouraging display for Mercedes as they aim to claim both titles over the last six races of the season, and Wolff said that the data is showing the team are ahead on almost all fronts over Red Bull. "It's really good, I think we're gaining on the straights, and that is good," Wolff smiled while speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the session. "But the main gain is when you look at the speed trace with Verstappen through the fast corners and that is encouraging because they're clearly running more drag. They need to run more drag but we're still better through the corners. "They [the drivers] were pretty happy in Turkey also but, today, there was not a lot of complaining." But Wolff doesn't believe that the sizeable advantage will continue throughout the entire weekend. "I don't know if that gap is going to maintain," he commented. "I'd wish so but, normally, they are creeping their way back. Let's see what it gives tomorrow in qualifying but at least it's a good FP1."
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