Horner conceded that “our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed type of corner… and in Austria, in the middle sector, there’s a bit of it there. We’ll see. If it’s hot, I expect McLaren to be stronger again.
“There’s a significant points gap between us and them, but we don’t give up on anything and we’re not even at the halfway point yet.”
In last year’s race, Verstappen collided with Norris as they fought for the lead, gifting Russell his victory.
That tangle, and his “stupid” crash into Piastri in Montreal, may hang heavily for Norris this weekend as he attempts to rebuild his title bid without further mishaps.
With Russell confident and Mercedes also boosted by rookie Kimi Antonelli’s maiden podium finish in Canada, a closely-fought contest is in prospect involving all the leading teams.
“We expect our rivals to be much more competitive in Austria,” said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. “The track should be a good test of our recent updates.”
Ferrari go into the weekend with less optimism.
“For us, the best thing is to take it race by race, try to maximise,” said Charles Leclerc. “It’s been a disappointing first part of the season, but we keep pushing. Let’s see where that takes us.”
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