The Mercedes Racing Team had a rough start to the 2022 season, which is being completed under the new regulations by the F1. The Silver Arrows are still struggling to make their new W13 car fast enough to compete with the front runners like Ferrari and Red Bull. Toto Wolff’s Mercedes are struggling to solve their porpoising issue, which has not allowed them to compete with Ferrari and Red Bull’s newest cars. Red Bull’s advisor and former Austrian racing driver have warned the current world champion Max Verstappen to be aware of Lewis Hamilton during the Drivers’ Championship. Marko feels that Lewis Hamilton will catch up to Red Bull’s Verstappen if Mercedes manages to solve the porpoising problems with their car.
Mercedes have not been able to get off the blocks quickly. The new aerodynamic designs have caused issues for most of the teams. While others found a way to fix the issues early, Mercedes still struggled to get ahead of its problems and regain their speed. During the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, George Russell finished the race in the fifth position. He was 32.732 seconds behind Red Bull’s Verstappen, who lifted his first trophy of the season by winning the race. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished the race in the tenth spot after facing a shocking elimination during Q1.
Marko Convinced About Mercedes’ Comeback
The main issue that Mercedes’ W13 challenger has is the porpoising issue, making the car bounce aggressively at high speeds. Other teams countered the issue by cutting off the part of their floor and compromising with the downforce. Meanwhile, Mercedes is still trying to figure out a way. Marko is convinced about a Mercedes comeback if they control the proposal. The Red Bulls’ advisor added that Lewis Hamilton is just nine points behind Verstappen. He does not think it is the end of an era for the Silver Arrows.
Moreover, Helmut believes that maybe Mercedes will be back to battle with Red Bull and Ferrari on the same level. The 78-year-old pointed out that the increase in synthetic fuel might be the primary concern for Mercedes. As per the new regulations, racing teams will now use synthetic fuel with ten percent bio-component elements. While the change in the fuel may be the primary reason, Helmut explained the crucial changes in the organization’s personnel, including Andy Cowell, are also affecting Mercedes’ performance.
F1 is all set to return to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Mercedes’ Hamilton and Russell will be testing the modifications in the W13, which could help them counter the porpoising issue. Lewis Hamilton will look to leave a mark at the race while Verstappen will try to pull off a second win in a row. Although, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is currently in the top spot of the F1 2022 Drivers’ standing. So, he will try to increase his lead and win over his long-standing rivals, Red Bull and Mercedes.