Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted he does not expect the team to be in a position to win Formula 1’s British Grand Prix despite “hints” in the right direction.

The German team’s rise to competitiveness was cemented at Silverstone as Lewis Hamilton claimed victory in a race for the first time since December 2021.

Hamilton’s ninth home win, coupled with George Russell’s victory in Austria last weekend, made it back-to-back victories for Mercedes in the ground effect era.

But Russell took the lead in the battle at the front, while Wolff enjoyed his latest victory thanks to sheer pace in the battle with Hamilton’s McLaren and Red Bull.

Wolff said Mercedes’ performance at the Red Bull Ring had raised hopes for the W15’s renewed potential, but that it was not as high as he had expected this weekend.

Asked about Russell’s assessment that Mercedes were back in the race, Wolff said: “Yeah, I feel that way, I feel that way because we weren’t that far off last weekend.

“If you look at the gap we had before the accident, it was maybe two tenths per lap, a little bit more.

“And that was the closest we’ve been in a long time, on a track we haven’t really liked in the past. And that gave us a glimpse that it could be much better.

“To be honest, we didn’t think it would happen at Silverstone because there was almost nothing, we just put more stuff into the car.

“We were expecting more of a Budapest spark, but it did, I agree with George, it did, we saw that what we were doing was right.”

Wolff said Mercedes’ return to being a genuine top contender had not been a smooth road, but praised Hamilton’s dream of a return to the top.

“We have had such a difficult time in the last two years that we haven’t really been able to perform,” he stressed.

“We were not able to give the drivers a car that would enable them to achieve victory.

“And to get him (Lewis) to win again, the British Grand Prix, which was his last race here for Mercedes, was almost like a little fairy tale. We couldn’t have written it any better.”

But Wolff denied Mercedes had any regrets about waiting so long to make a breakthrough under the current rules, as they aim for more wins in 2024.

“I have no regrets in my life, because you can’t have regrets, we are adults, we make decisions, we take action,” he explained. “That’s the most important thing.

“So we have to finish this season on top, give them a car to win, to ensure that the team gets a number of points in the Constructors’ Championship, and that’s the case.”