Wolff realistic: 'It will take time to make the gains we want'

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A realistic Toto Wolff is under no illusions that bridging the gap to Ferrari and Red Bull "will take time" for Mercedes despite its efforts to push forward.

The Brackley squad has been on the back foot since the F1 season kicked off in Bahrain last month due to the chronic porpoising issues impacting the performance of its W13 Silver Arrow.

The championship winning team is working hard to mitigate the problem but so far progress has been scant and Mercedes remains outpaced by its front-running rivals.

"We know we haven't got the pace of the Ferrari and Red Bull right now," said Wolff in Mercedes' Emilia Romagna Grand Prix preview.

"But we're working hard to reduce their advantage, and it's been brilliant to see everyone across the factories pulling together to achieve this."

With each update, Mercedes hopes to gain a bit of ground on F1's leaders. But Wolff argues in favor of patience, insisting that turning around its fortunes won't happen overnight for the German outfit.

"There's been a lot of hard work over the Easter weekend in the factory to bring improvements to the car and get it ready to head to the next race, and that shows the team's dedication to turning the situation around," added the Austrian.

"Of course, we must be realistic, it will take time to make the gains we want, but we're learning as much as we can from each race and finding avenues to push us forward."

Read also: Mercedes putting in 'enormous amount of work' for Imola

Imola will see the first of this year's three Sprint race weekends unfold for teams and drivers, and the format will provide everyone with an added incentive for points.

"Now we look ahead to Imola and the first Sprint event of the season," concluded Wolff.

"It's an historic, old-school circuit with a challenging layout that the drivers really enjoy.

"Qualifying is important owing to the narrow track, while its sweeping nature really puts the cars to the test. We're looking forward to seeing how 2022 machinery tackles Imola."

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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.