Mercedes is still lagging far behind rivals Red Bull. They have made changes to the W14 car, but it still has not been able to beat the table toppers. The Brackley team generally has a pretty good home record in the British Grand Prix. But since last year, their history has not been helping them at all. It is because of the numerous issues their car has been facing. The former champions are still looking for their first win this year. However, their rival, Red Bull, has not given any chance to other teams at all. The reigning champions have won all the races so far. But Mercedes is gradually making some progress with the W14 car. The Monaco upgrades were their first step to progress.
Moreover, the German manufacturer introduced new side pods along with front and floor suspensions. Albeit, it did not help them get a podium in Monaco. But Mercedes did get three podiums in the next two races in Spain and in Canada. However, they did not expect a podium in Canada because the team have questions regarding their pace. But Lewis Hamilton still managed to finish at P3. It was a great confidence booster. The Mercedes team hoped to continue the momentum in the next Grand Prix in Austria. However, it did not go according to their plans at all. Lewis Hamilton received a 10 seconds penalty to drop down to P8. George Russell finished at P7. But Toto Wolff still believes that they can win a race this year before moving onto the next year’s car.
Mercedes Has Faith In Winning A Race This Season With New Upgrades
However, Toto Wolff believes they can still beat Red Bull. The Mercedes boss says that they must have faith in their car’s pace. Otherwise, they have to shift focus to the next year’s car and be happy with a top-ten finish this year. But that is not what Toto Wolff wants to do. He wants his team to keep pushing for a win in 2023. Moreover, the race in Montreal, where Mercedes was 10 seconds behind Red Bull, was a positive sign. The German manufacturers want to build on that. Moreover, Mercedes has been struggling around low-speed corners.
To handle that condition, Mercedes plans to add new upgrades in Silverstone. The new upgrade package will have an updated front wing aiming to help improve the aero balance. It will help, especially in the low-speed corners. Despite Mercedes keeps on chasing the idea of beating their rival, Red Bull is still far ahead. However, Christian Horner feels, it only takes a few bad lucks to prevent them from a clean sweep. Hence, he does not take anything for granted.
McLaren’s Performance In Austria Raises Concern For The German Team
Moreover, the team principal, Toto Wolff, for the rarest occasion, displayed annoyance towards Hamilton on the radio, saying, “We know the car is bad, but please drive it.” It happened after the seven-time champion kept complaining about the slow pace of the car almost throughout the race. Moreover, the Mercedes boss revealed the W14 car is still “bad” after all the upgrades since the Monaco Grand Prix. In the post-race interview in Austria, Wolff mentioned, “It was a bruising day.”
Moreover, Peter Windsor, an F1 analyst, suggests that the performance of McLaren in the Austrian Grand Prix has revealed the “ongoing trauma” in the Mercedes camp. It means that the place of Mercedes in the pecking order is under threat. On top of that, there is a huge difference between the money McLaren and Mercedes spend for the upgrades within the budget cap. As a result, McLaren will be really happy with their performance in Austria. Hence, Hamilton fans, as well as Mercedes supporters, are again sad about where things are going.