Toto Wolff keeps Mercedes grounded ahead of crucial Canadian GP upgrades

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has urged the Brackley outfit to maintain a balanced perspective as it prepares to bring its first major upgrade package of the Formula 1 season at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

After rival teams such as McLaren showed impressive gains at the Miami Grand Prix, Mercedes will be hoping its upgrade package will help it return to the dominant form seen at the start of the 2026 season. 

"We head to Canada ready to get back into a regular rhythm of racing. Our competitors took a step forward in Miami and we need to respond; seven grands prix in 10 weekends before shutdown is an opportunity to do that and build momentum," Wolff said in the Mercedes preview.

"We bring our first update package of the year to Montréal, but we know that performance is only performance once it is delivered on track.

"Despite being in the middle of May, we are just four races into the season. There is a long year ahead and, whilst this is an important weekend, it will not decide any outcomes.

"We will stay balanced, keep learning, and execute each weekend as well as we can. We won't get too high when we succeed or too low in the difficult moments; that is as true for our drivers as it is for the rest of the team."

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Mercedes has won every grand prix of the season so far as well as the Chinese sprint race. While George Russell, a favourite for the drivers' title heading into the season, won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the sprint race in Shanghai, his teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli collected three consecutive wins at the Chinese, Japanese and Miami Grands Prix. 

The 19-year-old now leads the drivers' championship with a 20-point lead over his team-mate.

The Canadian Grand Prix will take place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve from 22-24 May.