Toto Wolff says that his Mercedes Formula 1 team has addressed the high-speed issues with the W15, and now has to focus on low-speed performance.

The team is currently lying a distant fourth in the World Championship behind Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren, with drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell making clear their frustration at the poor form.

Wolff cited a solid performance over the Japanese GP weekend as evidence that the car is at least competitive at tracks with faster corners.

“I think we absolutely achieved that,” said Wolff. “In the high-speed we were super competitive also in Suzuka through the Esses, say and night to what we had before. The drivers were speaking about the best car they had so far in those last two and a half years. But then we really didn’t perform in the low-speed.

“So you’re gaining half a second in the high-speed, you’re losing half a second in the low-speed, and that the equation is back to zero. So that is something which we need to improve.

“We’re beyond the point of understanding, we just need to improve now, that is what it needs to come to. And we have all the facts on the table. We know what we tweaked in order to solve the high-speed, we know where the car was before, to be quick through the slow-speed.

“And now we just need to bolt the car together that does both of them. And as before, we’ve seen those moments of performance. But overall, we’re just not good enough at this stage.”

Wolff suggested that Mercedes was flattered last year by other teams underperforming, indicating that the competition is now consistently stronger.

“I think the cars were difficult all along these last two years,” he said. “The advantage that we had is that McLaren was not racing us for most of the, let’s say, first half of the season. So they weren’t that competitive.

“Ferrari wasn’t the as quick, and dropped the ball on several occasions. And that’s why we were a regular podium contender, and closest to Red Bull.

“Now that these teams have picked up the performance levels, this is a relative game, and suddenly what was good enough for third last year is just good enough for sixth. And that’s why it’s tough.

“The car is as difficult as it has been in the past, tricky for the drivers. When we discussed it George said it was the most tricky qualifying car that he’s had so far. So overall, in a way, same symptoms.”