Mercedes head to São Paulo with a renewed sense of determination and a clear message from team principal Toto Wolff: they’re not done fighting yet.
After a pair of difficult weekends in Austin and Mexico that saw Ferrari retake the runner-up spot in F1’s Constructors’ Championship, the Brackley squad is set on “striking back” at Interlagos.
Just a single point now separates Mercedes from Ferrari, with Red Bull lurking nine points further behind in a tightening three-way battle for second place in the standings. But Wolff insists the fight is far from over – and that Brazil offers the perfect chance for a comeback.
“Four races to go. Just one point now separates ourselves and Ferrari, with Red Bull only nine further back,” Wolff said in the team’s São Paulo Grand Prix preview.
“We have had a couple of tough weekends but we are still in the fight for P2. Each one of these four events is going to be vital in the battle for second in the Constructors’.
“Whilst our advantage over our rivals disappeared across Austin and Mexico, we can strike back in Brazil.”
Sprint Pressure and the Interlagos Challenge
The São Paulo Grand Prix weekend brings extra intensity as the penultimate Sprint event of the 2025 season. With just one practice session before Sprint Qualifying, there’s minimal time to fine-tune setup and strategy – something Wolff knows can make or break a weekend.
“The penultimate Sprint weekend of the year means we have to be at our very best from the off,” he said. “Interlagos is an old-school circuit with a bumpy surface, elevation changes, and a wide range of corners.
“Add in unpredictable weather and there is little margin for error. No matter what the weekend throws at us our aim is to hit the ground running, execute better than our competitors, and get back in front of our nearest rivals,” he added.
With George Russell sitting fourth in the Drivers’ Championship on 258 points and rookie Kimi Antonelli seventh with 97, Mercedes still have firepower to make a decisive push in the closing stages of the season.
After losing ground over the past two rounds, Wolff’s words set the tone: Brazil isn’t just another race – it’s Mercedes’ chance to prove they can regroup, fight back, and reclaim control of the runner-up spot in the Constructors’ standings.
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