With everything that Mercedes lost in 2022, all they were left with was hope. W14 is supposed to meet all the expectations of the Silver Arrows. The car is something that can make bring back Lewis Hamilton’s legacy and Mercedes’ dignity. Last season W13 helped the team to fall down so badly that it did not stand up until the end.
Yes, it is true that Mercedes went through some upgrades and progress. As a result, they won the Brazilian Grand Prix with a one-two finish, but how can one forget that Hamilton could not even finish the season’s final race? He had to end the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix prematurely due to the hydraulic failure of W13. As soon as the season ended, Hamilton denied sitting in the car again.
Why would he sit in the car that broke his winning streak? That made him lose the championship to his biggest rival, Max Verstappen. That made him get defeated by his own teammate, George Russell, by 34 points. Hamilton made the fact very clear to Mercedes that he did not sign the contract with them to get these [W13] types of car, which are filled with porpoising issues. So in order to regain Mercedes’s dominance and in order battle with Red Bull’s strongest RB19. Mercedes is building the W14 with a changed DNA. But even before the car went for testing, Mercedes principal Toto Wolff was afraid to admit that W14 would meet their expectations.
Mercedes Needs To Keep Realistic Hopes
Wolff is cautious about the fact that there is still a huge gap between Red Bull and Ferrari. Red Bull clinched both championships with complete dominance. They made 17 Grand Prix wins, with Max Verstappen alone winning 15 races. He became the world champion with four races remaining. On the other hand, Ferrari rocked in the initial part of the season. Charles Leclerc just amazed fans with how he crushed Red Bull’s dream of a one-two finish in the driver’s championship. The 24-year Ferrari driver replaced Sergio Perez from the runner position in the fight in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with three points. Amazing it was Indeed!
Now, these behaviors and achievements of the rival teams are just enough for Toto Wolff to realize that Mercedes needs to keep their expectations realistic. Wolff said, “Mercedes have got the idea how they fell back. What were the shortcomings, and what gaps do we have in understanding.”
The boss explained that the team is working hard on putting a car on the foundation that addresses all the needs. However, nothing can be said until the testing sessions start. Only after driving the W14 can one suspect the issues and check if it unlocks all the potential or not. Wolff revealed his fear that Red Bull and Ferrari are too high. And reaching them with the first take might be difficult for Mercedes, which is still adjusting to new rules while Red Bull has mastered in.
However, Wolff is not a pessimist at all. He is still optimistic about the upcoming season. He said, “If we perform in the right way, we hope, then Mercedes will definitely race at the very front on the grid.”