Despite Nico Rosberg’s Monaco GP win Ross Brawn says it won’t become apparent whether Mercedes has got to the bottom of its tyre problems until Silverstone.
Brawn was also keen to downplay suggestions that Mercedes benefited in Monaco from the disputed Barcelona test.
“I don’t see how because we were testing future tyres,” said Brawn. “We were on pole position in several races before the Pirelli test, and this is an easier track on tyres. I think for us the measure of whether we’ve made real progress will come at Silverstone, because that’s the first really hard duress circuit where we need to see if we can improve the tyre situation.”
Meanwhile Brawn says he wants the drivers to keep spurring each other on.
“We want the ‘yo-yo,’ we want each driver to assert himself for a few races, and then the other one will try harder and assert himself. I think if we can achieve that, we’ll have a fantastic season.”
Brawn was full of praise for Rosberg’s drive: “Nico ran a great race, perfect time, perfect pace. We didn’t get it right with Lewis around the pit stop with the safety car, and that was a great shame because I think he was in perfect condition at that point, and I think he could have perhaps managed more. Apart from that, it was a perfect weekend.
“He’s been in very good shape all weekend. Last year he was tremendous here, he followed Mark through the whole race last year, he was clearly a quicker car, but he couldn’t use it.”
Adam Cooper F1 