Wolff suggests Pirelli 'listened' to Vettel about 2017 tyres

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits that the prominent role played by Sebastian Vettel in Pirelli's tyre development last year may have provided Ferrari with an edge this year.

The efficiency of the Scuderia's SF70H chassis this year, and more specifically how it better exploits its tyres compared to Mercedes' W08, has led many to suggest that the red squad gained an advantage by Vettel's extensive testing.

Mercedes on the other hand did not force either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton to undertake development work for Pirelli, sending test driver Pascal Wehrlein to the tests instead.

"Perhaps the credibility of Sebastian Vettel as a developer and his statements about the tyres had an impact at Pirelli," said Wolff.

"If you are driving your car and you are a Pirelli engineer and you have Vettel giving you an input, it is different to Pascal Wehrlein.

"Perhaps they listened more carefully to what an experienced driver says compared to a young driver.

"But I have no evidence of that. For me it's just a personal guess," Wolff added.

Vettel believes Ferrari has the pace to win in Canada

Wolff revealed that as Rosberg and Hamilton were locked in a titanic battle for the title last year, neither driver wanted the distraction linked with tyre development work.

"We were fully involved in the world championship battle between Nico and Lewis, and so neither of them was overly worried about the development of tyres for the future.

"But I believe that you only very rarely find the silver bullet in Formula 1 that gives a decisive advantage.

"It's more about putting together a lot of small details."
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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.