Mercedes 'ready to react' to whatever comes its way in Austin

©Mercedes

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Toto Wolff says Mercedes will deal with whatever cards it is dealt in Texas this week when the Brackley squad resumes its fierce battle with Red Bull at the Circuit of the Americas.

The German outfit outscored its Milton Keynes-based rival last time out in Turkey, but Max Verstappen's runner-up spot behind Valtteri Bottas at Istanbul Park allowed the Dutchman to reclaim the lead from Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers' championship.

But Mercedes' dominant performance has inevitably boosted the reigning world champions' energy ahead of this weekend's round of racing in Austin.

"It was encouraging to see our positive performance momentum continue last time out in Turkey," commented Wolff in Mercedes' US Grand Prix preview.

"We haven't scored back-to-back race wins in a little while, so naturally spirits have been high in the factories since we returned from Istanbul.

"That race win was also the 200th victory for Brixworth since they began their winning streak in 1997, which is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the passion and hard work of everyone at HPP."

©Mercedes

In the wake of Verstappen's engine change/grid penalty in Sochi, Hamilton followed suit at Istanbul Park where Mercedes added a fourth ICE to the Briton's pool of hardware and achieved a result that it can "live with" insisted Wolff.

"For Lewis, the absolute view of Turkey is that he lost one point more than Max did in the previous race in Russia with a similar engine change, which we can live with," said the Austrian.

"The relative view when you're in the heat of a race is to always want another position, to score more points - that's who we are as racers, and we wouldn't want that competitive intensity any other way."

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From the weather wreaking havoc on proceedings to unexpected circumstances unfolding on race day, this year's campaign has been an amazing roller-coaster of actions, incidents and emotions, much to the fans' delight.

But the Mercedes is ready to attack, defend or deal with everything in between in Austin.

"This season has had so many twists and turns, so we're ready to react to whatever comes our way this weekend in Texas," said Wolff.

"We're excited to be back in Austin for the first time since 2019, it's always a popular stop on the calendar and we can't wait to see all the passionate American fans.

"The Circuit of the Americas is a fun track for the drivers. There are some really fast and flowing corners, plus some technical sections and good overtaking opportunities.

"It's got a bit of everything and is a great track for racing, so I'm sure we're set for an entertaining Grand Prix."

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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.