Toto Wolff: Every weekend presents new challenges

      Before the start of the weekend in Suzuka, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff spoke about his expectations...

      Toto Wolff: "We started the season well, but this is just the beginning. In both Australia and China, we faced some unpleasant moments that could have ended our weekend. These cars are new and quite vulnerable. We were lucky that none of the issues affected our results, but there is still a lot to do to continue achieving such success.

      Teams gain experience with every outing on the track. Each weekend presents new challenges. In this situation, we are focused on our work and aimed at progress. Our sport is structured in such a way that as soon as you think you've found all the answers, it usually turns out that you were wrong.

      This is true for Kimi and for the team. We can be proud of his victory in China, but right now everyone in the team is focused only on what lies ahead. His first win is just the first step; now it's important how he builds on that success. We will support him so that he can meet expectations by showing more consistent results in the leading group.

      We hope that the exciting battles we saw in Melbourne and Shanghai will continue in Japan. Suzuka is one of the best racing circuits in the world, but in recent years it has been difficult to overtake there. There is hope that with the new regulations, the race will be more spectacular.

      Our car will look particularly stylish this weekend. The team aims for leadership not only in our sport but also in merging it with a broader culture, which is reflected in our collaboration with the legendary Japanese designer Y-3 – Yohji Yamamoto. The team will showcase his collection on the track, elements of his design will appear on the drivers' suits and helmets – and on the car. It is a great honor for us to collaborate with Y-3, becoming only the third sports team after the Japan national football team and Real Madrid to do so. I am sure this partnership will be vibrant."