The Silver Arrows head to this week’s French Grand Prix flying high in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, but in Montreal they suffered a number of reliability problems.
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Valtteri Bottas’s car had a fuel system problem in first practice and Lewis Hamilton’s car had a hydraulic leak which had to be fixed on the morning of the race.
Following Sebastian Vettel’s controversial time penalty Hamilton went on to win in Canada - his fourth victory in seven races in 2019.
However, the victory would not have happened had it not been down to the team work in the Mercedes garage.
“Canada was something of a wake-up call for us,” said Wolff. “After a run of very good reliability over the opening six races, we experienced a number of problems over the course of the weekend, almost all of which were of our own making.
“We were fortunate that those reliability issues were exposed when we still had the chance to solve them, but we know that they could have easily ruined our weekend and it is down to the great skill of our mechanics that they didn’t.
“We expect another tough fight in France. The circuit features some similarities to Montreal and the long straights will present a challenge for us. However, unlike Canada, the corner characteristics are spread across a range of speeds, which should play to our advantage.
“We’re looking forward to the chance to put a few things right again. Part of our strength over the past three months was that the entire team - at the track, in Brackley and in Brixworth - delivered to a very high level and we need to make sure that we achieve the same high standard again for France.”
Hamilton won the French Grand Prix in 2018 and is favourite to continue Mercedes’s domination with the team going for an eighth successive victory.
Meanwhile, Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says that the French GP circuit will not suit their car this weekend.
He said: “Paul Ricard was a tricky circuit for us last year and we know this kind of track isn’t particularly favourable for our package.”
What the drivers and teams are saying
Mattia Binotto, Ferrari team principal
“Following Canada we definitely want to get back on track and go racing with our rivals once again. In France we will have a few small evolutions, elements that represent for us a useful step in defining the direction we will take in developing the car. What we will be bringing won’t be the solution to our problems, but the technical feedback we get from these evolutions will be important for the next steps we take.”
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
“At the moment Mercedes are leading and we are behind. It’s still quite a way away from here, though. If we win every race from here on, it’s a walk in the park. But you don’t have to be a genius, obviously we have a lot more points to score, but we also know Mercedes are in better form than us. We are pushing very hard, we have some new bits here, and hopefully we are able to continue to close the gap further. I said some weeks ago and I will continue to say it, the next few races are important because once you get to race ten, then there’s only ten or 11 races left. At some point we need to start to turn it around, because you can’t beat them by finishing behind them.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
“We maximised things in Canada and we are working hard to improve all aspects. I feel comfortable in the car so I hope we will be able to challenge the frontrunners more closely in France.”
Pierre Gasly, Red Bull’s French driver
“It’s a really special weekend for me, so I’m really excited to be on track there with all the fans and extra support. I’m fully focused and dedicated to get the best result I can and it would be a special moment to do well in front of my home fans. Quite a lot of people are coming to support me, which makes the weekend extra special. It brings good vibes and creates a special atmosphere.”
Carlos Sainz, McLaren
“We are now a third of the way through the season and, as expected, the midfield is getting tighter. Every race is an opportunity we must take. We are coming to France fully focussed and wanting to push hard again. I’m looking forward to heading back to the south of France this weekend. The track might still be new to modern Formula 1, but I have had some great races there before in the junior formulae. It’s a lovely part of the world and I really hope we can put on a good show for all the fans.”
Lando Norris, McLaren
“I’m excited to get back racing again after Canada and to experience Ricard in an F1 car for the first time. The teams in the midfield are really close and we’ve had some good battles over the last few races. We know the fight in France will be just as tough and I’ve been doing plenty of work in the factory to prepare for this weekend.”
Sergio Perez, Racing Point
“It’s been a busy time since Canada. I spent a few days in the factory working with the engineers and doing simulator work for France. It’s still a new race and I need to explore the area properly. It was great to see how many fans came last year. It’s important to race in countries that love our sport. I remember there was lots of interest and good energy from the fans, even though there was a lot of traffic.”
Lance Stroll, Racing Point
“I’m feeling good heading into this weekend. The Paul Ricard circuit is almost the other extreme from Montreal. There are massive run-off areas and it’s a very different experience. That’s not something I enjoy because if you run wide, you can get away with it quite easily. It’s just less of a challenge for the drivers.”
Robert Kubica, Williams
“The combination of high-speed long corners, long straights and low speed corners make it a challenging circuit. I am looking forward to what should be a hot weekend, that will be demanding on the tyres with the high-speed long corners putting a lot of stress and energy into the tyres. We will need to investigate these factors to prepare for the race.”
George Russell, Williams
“I am really looking forward to driving at Paul Ricard and returning to the European leg of the season. It has been great fun racing overseas, but it will be nice to get back to some tracks that we know well and can maximise. Last year in FIA Formula 2, France was a great event for me, as I won the feature race.”
F1 French GP race and circuit guide
Where: Circuit Paul Ricard
First grand prix: 1971
Number of laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.842km
Race distance: 309.69km
Lap record: 1:34.225 by Valtteri Bottas in 2018
2018 podium: 1st Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 2nd Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing); 3rd Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari)
When are the practice sessions?
There are three full practice (FP) sessions in France. On Friday 21 June FP1 takes place from 10am to 11.30am and FP2 is from 2pm to 3.30pm. FP3 is from 11am to 12pm on Saturday 22 June. All times UK.
When is qualifying?
Qualifying for the F1 French GP starts at 2pm on Saturday 23 June.
What time does the race start?
The 2019 F1 French Grand Prix starts at 2.10pm (BST) on Sunday 23 June.
Predictions: who will win in France?
Matthew Atkinson, The Stats Zone: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
“Lewis Hamilton is continuing to run away with the 2019 drivers’ championship, and more so after that notorious decision in Canada. Was it a win for Hamilton or a stolen victory for Vettel? Ferrari will be determined to put things right in France. Canada showed some of that pre-season promise could finally be coming to fruition. The mistake aside, Vettel will be encouraged by his performance in Canada, and Ferrari will be in the mix and competitive. That said, given how Hamilton comfortably won in France last year with a one-stop strategy, coupled with the fact that he has been the best driver this season, and the prediction is for another Lewis Hamilton win.”
Sporting Life: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
“Hamilton has won five of the seven races to date and last year’s French Grand Prix was arguably the champion’s easiest cruise of the season. This year his biggest challenge is likely to be to ensure he prevents Bottas from taking pole on Saturday to ensure he is in a position to control the race. The Finn leads 3-2 on that metric but Hamilton had the edge here 12 months ago and looks a solid favourite to head the grid again.”
The Daily Telegraph: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
“Montreal was certainly suited to Ferrari’s strengths but the fairly twisty Paul Ricard will be less to their liking, and actually quite well suited to the Mercedes package. I wouldn’t be too surprised if this was another weekend of them wiping the floor with everyone else, sadly. It will be interesting to see how Red Bull, with their upgraded Honda power unit, compare this time. Given Mercedes’ aerodynamic supremacy in medium and slow speed corners then I can’t see beyond them. Or Hamilton, with the form he is in. Podium prediction: 1st Hamilton 2nd Verstappen 3rd Bottas.”
Ben Issatt, Inside Racing: prepare for another Mercedes 1-2
“We’ve been blessed to have Red Bull and Ferrari be a little closer in the past two races but at this stage, it is hard to see past the pattern of the first five races returning in France. The circuit is too well suited to the car and their rivals haven’t really made the gains to suggest they can challenge them. Perhaps there is a small question mark over reliability and the possibility for tension between Hamilton and Bottas, but that is the only way I can see the silver express being stopped.”
Dev Tyagi, Essentially Sports: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
“The French Grand Prix may just provide us all with the moment we’ve been so desperately waiting for. The mid-segment of the 53-lap contest shall be the moment where Vettel shall make a decisive move over his arch-rival, rather make that antithesis of the 2019 season, Lewis Hamilton. While Vettel will be the first to pit among the two legendary drivers, Hamilton, who’ll claim the lead of the contest shall see the Ferrari undercut working brilliantly in the German’s favour, who, by virtue of making the most of his fresh rubber shall pass the Briton. Once back in the lead, Vettel will hold on strongly to the track position and will fend off Hamilton in a way he did so at the contests at Silverstone or Spa in 2018. Thus, Ferrari will win their first grand prix of the year.”
Sky Sports F1 will show live coverage of practice, qualifying and the GP from France. Channel 4 will show highlights of qualifying and the race.
Watch on Now TV
F1 fans can also watch the action live on Now TV. Viewers can subscribe to a Sky Sports F1 season ticket via Now TV for all race weekends in 2019. A one-off payment costs £195 - the equivalent of £5 per week.
Sky Sports coverage of the French GP Friday 21 June
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