"There's still a mountain to climb"- Mercedes needs to do 'a lot of work' to give itself a shot at the championship, feels Toto Wolff ahead of 2022 F1 British GP

Mercedes still have a mountain to climb if they want to be able to contend for the F1 World Championships, team principal Toto Wolff has admitted.

After eight consecutive World Constructors' Championships and seven World Drivers' Championships in the last eight seasons, Mercedes have fallen a step back ever since F1 introduced the new regulations for the 2022 season and beyond.

Red Bull and Ferrari have managed to leapfrog the Silver Arrows and Wolff feels his side has plenty of catching up to do at the front of the pack.

Speaking in an interview in the build-up to the 2022 F1 British GP, the Austrian said:

“While we can be pleased with the flashes of speed that the W13 showed, there’s still a mountain to climb. A lot of work is needed to get to the front but we have a clearer direction now. We’re focused on finding more and more performance as the season progresses. We know the top two teams have a considerable advantage. Our challenge is to close that gap. Silverstone has been good to us in the past; we have some improvements coming; and it’s a smoother track. We’re aiming to make another step forward.”

The 50-year-old is also thrilled to be racing at Silverstone, with their headquarters at Brackley and Brixworth nearby. The Mercedes boss went on to add, saying:

“It’s always a highlight of the year. The fans are so passionate and knowledgeable. It’s also our local event, with Brackley and Brixworth close by. Our team members will be trackside on Friday watching from the stands and seeing the results of their hard work in action, which is incredibly exciting.”

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Mercedes miles away from competing with the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, according to Nico Rosberg

Mercedes is still miles away from competing with the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, according to former Silver Arrows driver Nico Rosberg.

The Silver Arrows' dominance at the Silverstone Circuit in recent years has been well documented, with seven of Lewis Hamilton's eight wins at the track coming with Mercedes in the last eight races.

Speaking on the Sky Sports program Any Driven Monday ahead of the 2022 F1 British GP, the 2016 World Champion weighed in on his former team's chances for the race weekend at Silverstone. The German said:

“No they can’t win, no way. They’re still too far away from performance of Ferrari and Red Bull. They’re still miles away.”

Silver Arrows' technical director Mike Elliot has confirmed that the team will be bringing upgrades to the W13 for the 2022 F1 British GP and expects improved performance this weekend.