Mercedes Pace was above target in China says Haug

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Formula 1 Mercedes’ boss, Norbert Haug, has updated the media with the fact that the Petronas sponsored team’s pace in the Chinese Grand Prix was ‘genuine’. He also mentioned that the team is expecting more improvements in their performance in the Turkish race.

The team speed was much faster than expected at the Shanghai circuit. Mercedes can target a repeat of its strong and positive China run in the upcoming race of this season, the Turkish Grand Prix. This is only possible provided the MGP-W02 car can once again make the most of its pace on the F1 grid.

He added, "Mercedes ‘V8’ is the most powerful engine."

Mercedes’ driver, Nico Rosberg, put his team on fifth spot while fighting for his podium position in the China race. Due to some fuel consumption issues in his new car, he failed to gather his best run against the top runners of the race.

Haug told the media that the team only needs a key to unlock the speed in the race since the speed was perfect in their run in Shanghai.

He did not make a promise to repeat his team’s China race performance in Turkey as he considered the condition of the track would not be the same due to varying temperature of the circuit’s surface.

Mercedes openly admitted that China race results were the feedback of massive work of the team’s engineers on the car, completed before the start of the race. Moreover, the team boss, Ross Brawn, and senior engineers had a meeting before the race in which they analysed how the 2011 season would go towards victory.

Haug shared his feelings about the Mercedes’ start to the 2011 season. He said, “I would have been happier if China would have been the first race, obviously. Saying that, the China track is not a night and day difference from Malaysia. But we now have a better understanding of the car. Ross sat together with the guys and the engineers, and we changed the approach to the weekend”.

The team had a disappointing start in the first two races in Australia and Malaysia. Both drivers, Michael Schumacher and Rosberg, were unable to put their team on the top spot since they experienced rear wing issues during their opening races.

Haug went on to add, "We had problems with the rear wing flap, but mainly we have sorted them out. We have a different system, but it is a clever system if it works - and we made it work in China”.

After finishing his fifth place in the China race, Rosberg is looking forward to his pole position in Turkish Grand Prix that takes place on May 8, 2011.

After three successful events, Pirelli expects positive feedback from the drivers in the remaining races of the season.