Mercedes setting ‘aggressive targets’ - Wolff

Mercedes has set itself "aggressive targets" for the performance of its 2017 car and power unit, according to Toto Wolff.

Following three years of dominance since the introduction of the turbocharged V6 power units, Mercedes acknowledges new aerodynamic regulations could leave its position under threat. Wolff says he is eager to see how the new car – to be called the W08 – performs but is apprehensive about whether the team's aims will prove sufficient to keep it at the front of the field.

"I'm most excited to see how the new car is going to go because we expect them to be much faster and they look spectacular," Wolff said. "It's going to be much more physical for the drivers. But then when there's such a regulation change it gives opportunities and risks.

"We have set aggressive targets for where we think the car should be going to and also the engine. We are pushing flat-out to achieve those targets, but will those targets be enough? Or will other teams come out of the blocks better than we do? We don't know.

"Whether there's a regulation change or not it's always the time of the year when we are all very skeptical, where we question ourselves whether we have done a good enough job. This is very much the mentality in the team. It doesn't make our days more happy, but it's how we function."

While giving away little regarding the progress made with the new car, Wolff says Mercedes has enjoyed a relatively smooth winter of development with the W08.

"No major drama, that is important, but when you push performance you are obviously always pushing very hard and these days are very difficult," he said. "In some of the areas of the factory in Brackley and in Brixworth the guys are pushing flat-out in order to bring the car and the engine in and meet the performance targets that we've set ourselves, make it reliable and put the car together overall. It's the busiest time of the year."

Mercedes will launch its 2017 car at Silverstone on Feb. 23, ahead of the start of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain on Feb. 27.