James Allison on ‘frustration’ of getting beaten by customer teams

© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Mercedes’ Technical Director James Allison says “looking at our customers who were beating us” was “frustrating”, but “little by little we are gradually putting them behind us”.

At the beginning of the 2023 season, Mercedes was still plagued by much of the same issues they faced in 2022.

To make things worse, Mercedes’ customer team Aston Martin made a huge leap in performance and started finishing ahead of them on a regular basis.

McLaren, another customer team, also made a huge leap in performance later in the season.

Mercedes’ Technical Director James Allison says it was not easy to see other Mercedes powered teams finish ahead of the manufacturer’s works outfit.

“At the start of the year we were fourth quickest,” Allison said.


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“Looking at our customers who were beating us, and that was frustrating. Ferrari were beating us too. Little by little we are gradually putting them behind us.

“Everything is playing a part in it. From strategy to engineering, reliability, manufacturing and the drivers who are metronomic in their ability to turn half-opportunities into points.

“Although it falls short of our initial aims, securing P2 nevertheless really matters for all of us.

“Especially in the second half of the season when the tone will be shifting to the W15,” the Briton concluded.

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