Toto Wolff makes bold statement about Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes ahead of Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Toto Wolff claims Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes is in "the best place it has been all season" as a thrilling Formula One title race heads to Saudi Arabia this weekend.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton trails Red Bull rival Max Verstappen by eight points with just rounds of an enthralling see-saw battle to go.

The high-speed street circuit in Jeddah is expected to favour Hamilton's machine over the race weekend with Wolff bullish about where the team are at in their preparations.

“The car has been performing well recently and is probably in the best place it has been all season, with the drivers confident to push it to the limit. That's encouraging for the final races and gives us strong momentum to take forward,” he said.

“We are all excited to still be in the fight at this stage in the season, it's a privilege and a testament to our resilience when we see where we stood in the early summer. Both titles are wide open, and our mission is clear.

The stop in the Gulf state is a first for the sport with a raft of unknowns to navigate yet another wrinkle in the title chase.

“Jeddah is another completely new challenge, an all-new track to get to grips with and a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to ensure we hit the ground running on Friday, because getting as much information as we can during those initial sessions will be vital,” he added.

“It's a fast street circuit with long flat-out sections and several high-speed corners, lined by barriers meaning it'll be high risk and reward.

"We're more motivated than ever and we expect to be in the hunt, so we are all looking forward to the debut Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia.”

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