Mercedes has a lot to prove, as the last two seasons have been absolutely horrible. Moreover, the standard the German team set for themselves in the eight years of domination is getting a really bad hit. From 2014 to 2021, the Silver Arrows had the superior car. And they were almost unbeatable in the turbo-hybrid era. That’s the reason why they won all the Driver’s and Constructor’s titles during the turbo-hybrid period.
However, they could not claim the Driver’s World Championship in 2021. Albeit, they won the constructor’s title that year. Clearly, Mercedes is in no position to claim that they have the fastest car on the grid at present. But the fans are eagerly waiting to see if the Brackley team can build a much faster car to close the gap between them and Red Bull. Moreover, Hamilton has been winless for two back-to-back seasons.
Can Mercedes Build The Car From Scratch To Be More Competitive Next Year?
Clearly, Mercedes struggled because of their zero-side pod concept. Later, they brought new upgrades to the Monaco Grand Prix in 2023. But it was already too late. They needed to change the whole setup of the car. Moreover, that’s something the Silver Arrows could not do in the middle of the season. All they could do was keep introducing new upgrades. Most importantly, they were trying to gather as much data as possible to build the W15 car. Recently, the German team admitted that they are abandoning their philosophy of the car in previous years. They will start from scratch.
James Allison and the engineers are hopeful for a better result next season. They will build a different platform with floor and suspension together. Moreover, they will combine new aspects of roll and anti-drive. It will be a tad order for Mercedes. Recently, Peter Windsor, the former Ferrari manager, mentioned the different concept for Mercedes won’t change Red Bull’s dominance. The former Williams manager feels the Austrian team already has the data they need as they are using the same concept over two years. Red Bull must know exactly what works and what doesn’t work.
Can Lewis Hamilton Win His 8th Title?
Moreover, Lewis Hamilton was on his way to win the coveted eighth title. But Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ruined the party for the great Briton. Moreover, there is an essential thing the German team must worry about, and that’s Hamilton’s age. He will turn 39 before the Opening Grand Prix of 2024. However, Lewis Hamilton did sign a two-year extension with Mercedes in the middle of the 2023 season.
Hence, he plans to keep racing for the German team till he is 40. How long will he continue racing in F1? That will depend on his mind and motivation. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is 42 years old, and he had a pretty impressive season in 2023. Hence, Hamilton can go on for a little longer. But the main question is if he can win his record eighth title before he hangs his helmet.