Mercedes now has package 'to take the fight to Ferrari'

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Mercedes believes that thanks to the tireless development of its W13 silver arrow it now has a package that allows it "to take the fight to Ferrari" on a consistent basis.

It has taken Mercedes the better part of its 2022 campaign to harness the complexities of its troubled new-generation car and improve its performance.

However, the Brackley squad's contender remains a difficult beast to tame for Lewis Hamilton and teammate George Russell, especially on lower downforce circuits where the car's 'draggy' characteristics have weighed on its performance.

But the team has nevertheless made great strides, with Mercedes enjoying good races in Austin and in Mexico City and performing better than Ferrari on race day at both venues.

Read also: Mercedes to discuss Hamilton future during off-season 'quiet time'

With two races to go before the curtain falls on F1's 2022 season, Mercedes' gap to Ferrari in the Constructors' standings now sits at 40 points.

And Mercedes strategy director James Vowles believes the German outfit can still overhaul its Maranello rival and snatch second place in the championship, although the Briton admits that it's a "tremendous ask"

"As mentioned previously, it’s very clear what our internal goal is," explained Vowles in Mercedes' post-Mexican Grand Prix Q&A on YouTube.

"We are here to finish second in the Championship and every single race that we can start pulling that points gap down is a success.

"In Mexico we took just 13 points out of them so there is still 40 left to go with two races, fortunately one of those is a sprint race [in Brazil].

"I think we have a package now unlike the beginning of the season or the mid-season that can really bring the fight to them.

"But 40 points is a tremendous ask, it will need us really having everything perfect, everything right and Ferrari perhaps to give us opportunities to open the door for us to pick up second,” Vowles added.

"What I can tell you is that we are not giving up until the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi."

Although Mercedes' crews have a clear stake to claim, team boss Toto Wolff admitted in Mexico that given a choice, he would rather sacrifice P2 in the championship for an outright first win which he believes what reflect better on his team.

"The win would prove that our car is back in the fight for wins," said Wolff.

"[Finishing] P2 could also be because others just dropped the ball, and you are scoring more points."

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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.