The 2023 Formula One season, is loading……
And hence the picture of Mercedes W14 is loading too. Mercedes has shared the Tweet revealing their new 2023 championship machine. The very sleek black veil is covering the W14 Petronas car. But with the vibe coming from the image, fans started pleading for a “Black livery PLEASE”. But the final image is not yet revealed. Moreover, most probably it is not a black livery because Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has already explained his visit to the Brackley factory where he got confused with the new one as it looked EXACTLY the same as W13.
However, just as the new look of the parked W14 is already giving different vibes, the car will also be a different one. Wolff certainly was shocked to see the car that looked exactly like the old one. But just as you are frustrated he got too. He went to the engineers and asked what is this. And then he realized, ‘do not judge a book by its cover thing.’ The engineers told him that the car underneath is totally different. This time it will hold a lot of potentials that W13 lacked in. Besides, the DNA of the car is changed, so yes, it will be different this year.
Toto Wolff Wants To Be Optimistic About The 2023 Season, But he Is Being Realistic
On the other hand, Toto Wolff is already being optimistic about the new Mercedes car. He is hoping for a faster-paced single-seater than Red Bull and Ferrari. However, what in fact, has been changed in W14 will only be known after the Bahrain testing. Just like in 2022, team Mercedes and Toto Wolff got the idea that W13 is a piece of garbage.
After the end of 2022, Toto Wolff and Andrew Shovlin claimed that the car was not working to its full potential as they expected in Bahrain. However, despite being demotivated, Toto Wolff is being hopeful for a better performance this year. He believes that the Silver Arrows have unlocked the potential of W14 by the winter break and it will all be tested in the February testing.
Only After The Bahrain Test, Mercedes W14’s Potential Will Be Known
Nevertheless, the fact that Mercedes is too behind where Red Bull and Ferrari are working at present is known to Wolff. He knows that it is very difficult to match Red Bull just at the start of the season. It may take half a second late to catch up on all the needs by analyzing the car’s performance and figuring out the requirements. Being optimistic for Toto does not mean being not REALISTIC. Red Bull has won 17 Grand Prix, Ferrari has won 4, and Mercedes has won just one.
The gap of 16, and 3 wins is not too close to be coped up so easily. Wolff knows that by the time Mercedes is preparing a good car, Red Bull is preparing for the best one. So again there will be a gap. However, being the boss he does not fail to encourage the team and fans. Wolff said, “We have understood where Mercedes’s shortcomings are lying and we are working hard to solve it. But only in the winter test, we can say that the W14 is unlocking the potential of the car or not.”