Mercedes hopeful of 'step forward' in Barcelona – Wolff

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Toto Wolff is hopeful of the Mercedes team achieving a step forward in Barcelona next weekend after sifting through its Miami data and expectantly turning the latter into improvements in Spain.

The Brackley squad's visit to South Florida was a two-part affair marked by George Russell topping the timesheets on Friday only for the speed of Mercedes' troubled W13 to evaporate on the following day.

Points were put on the board however, thanks to Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing Miami's inaugural Grand Prix respectively P5 and P6.

"During Friday practice, the car showed flashes of its true potential," commented Wolff in Mercedes' Spanish Grand Prix preview.

"We continued experimenting with set-up, fitted some new components and that's provided us answers and indications of which direction to go in."

"A huge amount of hard work has been going on in the factories to unpick the data from Miami and turn it into improvements for Barcelona."

Read also: Hamilton 'ignoring the negatives' as Mercedes team unites

With teams having tested at the Circuit de Catalunya ahead of the start of the 2022 season, a return to the track will provide everyone with an opportunity to measure the course of their car's development.

But for Mercedes, the comparison could prove even more important in light of the problems impacting its new-generation car.

"Having run there in winter testing, albeit with a car that has evolved a lot since then, it will be a good place to correlate the information we have on the current car and we're hopeful that we'll make another step forward," added Wolff.

"The track itself is a good all-rounder, so it really puts every aspect of the car to the test.

"It's never been a great track for overtaking so it'll be interesting to see how these new-shape 2022 F1 cars impact the on-track spectacle in Spain.

"In basketball terms, we head to Barcelona at the end of the first quarter of the game. We know that once we translate the learnings we've made into track performance, there's still a lot of the game left to play..."

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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.