Mercedes has gone through a tough time last year when they did not get much help from the car. The W13 car has caused problems rather than providing any support to the drivers. All that a driver wants is an ambitious and fast car to win races and titles. But the immensely talented racers of Mercedes were not lucky enough to get that the last time.
The porpoising issue that came with horrible bouncing cost Mercedes the 2022 season. The team has been working on the new car to fix those issues. And fortunately for the Silver Arrows, they have managed to reduce the rate of bouncing. The bouncing is not gone completely but has reduced a lot.
Mercedes Is Aware Of Their Rivals Being The Favorites
Moreover, there is a new problem for Mercedes regarding the balance of the W14 car. Hence, the Brackley-based team is too busy to make changes to the W14 car. In the meantime, the performance of their rival team has caught their attention in a big way. Specifically, it’s Red Bull’s RB19 car and its pace that is bothering the Brackley team. Red Bull is obviously entering the 2023 season with the tag of the favorites to retain the title.
Especially their performance in the three days of pre-season testing, where they literally dominated the top sheets, is suggesting they are the clear favorite. When the current double-time champion Max Verstappen entered the track, he did not let anyone take first place. Even when the second driver of Red Bull, Sergio Perez, came in, he dominated the final day of pre-season tests.
Are Hamilton & Wolff Using The Method Of Sandbagging Again?
Cameras are everywhere, and footages are available of every car running. Hence, after watching the footage, Mercedes pointed out that Red Bull’s car is 10 mm lower than the rest of the team’s cars. Plus, the RB19 car is running at an incredible speed, impressing everybody, even the rival team boss. Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff gave a comparative analysis between W14 and RB19. Wolff mentioned that Red Bull was accelerating at first, and then they brake. Hence, they have a lot of time with much better traction. Wolff then explained their approach towards the W14 car, “We won’t even reach the apex if we have a similar approach towards the corners.“ Lewis Hamilton has further added to his team boss’s claim on the condition of the W14 car.
The seven-time champion said that the bouncing issue is almost fixed, but it is still there a little bit. He mentioned, “we are still not there where we wanted to be at this stage. But staying positive is essential.” Hamilton also said that Mercedes has a long way to catch up to their rivals – Ferrari and Red Bull. Now, fans and media personalities have reacted to the Mercedes star and boss’s comments on their and Red Bull’s car. Mercedes is quite famous for using the strategy of “sandbagging” in the past. All said and done, things have looked better for Mercedes in the pre-season tests. So there is a possibility that Mercedes is waiting for the right time to show their actual prowess on the grid.
