Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg has admitted that it may take "a little bit of time" for the German marque to make a breakthrough in their pursuit of race wins, suggesting that podium finishes should be the aim in 2012.
The Mercedes team have not won a single race since buying out the champion Brawn GP team at the end of the 2009 season.
Although Rosberg did score podiums for the team in his first year with them in 2010, last season saw neither he nor team mate Michael Schumacher score a single podium finish.
And despite Rosberg remaining confident that he and the team can move forwards in 2012, he admitted that race wins would likely be too big a challenge for them next year.
"[Our realistic aim] is going to be consistent podiums, because I believe we can do a big step," he told the Autosport website this week, "But we need a massive step to be able to win. That is not going to be easy.
"But let's go for the big step and that should be possible. It has to happen, because with all the big steps we have now and the factory working so much better, we will improve."
He added that the team's aims to become title contenders would take some more time to come good.
"To become the best team in F1, we still have some way ahead of us. But that will come too. It is just going to take a bit longer," he smiled.
"So realistically to become the best team in F1 it is going to be the year after because it is a process. Maybe we can build a car that is very, very good, but to really be the best team in F1 is going to take a little bit of time."
Mercedes have already confirmed that their new car will miss the first of 2012's pre-season tests at Jerez, leaving both Rosberg and Schumacher just four days apiece in their new car to prepare for next season.
But despite no other team having yet followed their lead, Rosberg suggested that the decision to delay the introduction of the new car would not prove to be a negative issue.
"It is just the choice that they have made and I am happy with that," he shrugged, "It is the compromise between testing early enough and having enough time to develop.
"And they need to find a middle way - and they have decided that that is the best way to do it."
The team will instead introduce their new car at the second pre-season test in Barcelona, beginning on February 21st.
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