Wolff: Barcelona useful for assessing our recent updates

Barcelona is known as the best venue for testing in Formula 1, and the car that goes fast around the Circuit de Catalunya will be fast everywhere—that is the rule of thumb.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is hoping his team can get a better understanding of their W16's pace with respect to rivals, especially after two terrible weekends the eight-time Formula 1 constructors' champions endured at Imola and Monaco.

George Russell finished seventh in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, while Kimi Antonelli retired with car issues. In the Monaco Grand Prix, the latter crashed in qualifying while his teammate retired with car trouble. They finished the race out of the points.

"We will be looking to get back on track in Barcelona this weekend," Wolff reflected in Mercedes' preview of the Spanish Grand Prix.

"It is a circuit that provides a good test of a car, with a mixture of low, medium, and high-speed corners," he pointed out. "That will be useful for assessing our recent updates and our position relative to our competitors as we move into the second third of the season."

What makes this weekend more interesting is the new FIA technical directive that clamps down on flexible wings, which may end up mixing up the pecking according to some.

While Wolff acknowledged the effect of the new directive, he insisted Mercedes will not be focusing on that only; he said: "With 16 races left, there is a long way to go.

"The team is still pushing to find performance and this weekend's updated front wing technical directive will provide another level of intrigue.

"We are focused on ourselves though and looking forward to having the opportunity to do a better job than we have done at the last two races," the Austrian concluded.

Mercedes are currently second in the 2025 Formula 1 constructors' championship, a whopping 172 points behind leaders McLaren.