Wolff: The W12 feels in a better place after the upgrades

After watching Red Bull win five races in a row between Monaco and Austria, Mercedes struck back in controversial fashion at Silverstone, before a bizarre race in Hungary saw them regain the advantage in both the drivers' and constructors' championship.

Lewis Hamilton is currently eight points clear of Max Verstappen, while Mercedes are 12 points up on Red Bull.

This is certainly the biggest challenge Mercedes have faced since 2018 and with plenty of races to go and more drama to unfold, Wolff said the team were "really excited" to go racing again in Belgium this weekend.

"This has definitely been one of the most intense F1 seasons that I can remember, so far," he said. "The battle is far from over and after a few weeks away from the track, we're all really excited to get back to work.

"The shutdown is such an important time for the entire team. The chance to relax and recharge is invaluable, especially with such a busy second half of the season coming up, and the fight we have ahead of us. We're all racers at heart though, so while we enjoyed the well-deserved time off, we're also eager to get back to doing what we love: racing!"

Mercedes started the year strong before losing ground to Red Bull, but Wolff thinks the upgrades the team brought to the British Grand Prix have worked.

"We head to Spa-Francorchamps in a good position. We lead both Championships and the W12 feels in a better place, after the upgrades introduced at Silverstone and an encouraging showing in Hungary. But we know there is a long road ahead and so much can still happen in this season of ups and downs.

"Spa is a track that we all know and love, one of the true F1 classics with its iconic corners, long-flat out sections and beautiful scenery. It's a hugely challenging track for both the drivers and the cars, with the longest lap of the season, lots of elevation change and some very high g-forces," Wolff concluded.