© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
By Alexia Tibil
Ever since Formula 1 entered its newest regulations era back in 2022, Mercedes seemed to always be one step behind the competition.
Whatever upgrades were brought to the W13 did not help improve the car by much, however, taking into account some rather mediocre results (by Mercedes’ standards) from last season, in 2023 so far the W14 seems to have the earmarks of being slightly more ‘adaptable’ car. Still, although Mercedes seems to be a bit better this season, it’s obvious there’s a lot still left to be desired performance-wise.
It’s no secret that compared to last season’s opening races, this year the Team has been on a cleaner trajectory, however major improvements without a doubt still have to be made. The good news is that, looking at the situation from the outside, it seem things are heading into a relatively positive direction, simply because the W14 is in a better position to suit a variety of different tracks, rather than just a few here and there.
With the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix being cancelled due to severe flooding within the whole region, Mercedes has been forced to postpone their much expected upgrades until Monaco, upgrades that are meant to put the W14 back on the right track. And so, after the cancellation of the Grand Prix, one thing is undoubtedly certain: the upgrades are still around the corner, and although there’s still a lot of mystery surrounding them, fans are hoping to see a major change.
With the European leg of races just about to start, it is fair to say that up until a week ago, Imola was supposed to be the place “everything leads to” for the Team. Since the track in Emilia-Romagna is traditionally the one where Teams tend to bring their first major upgrade packages, I would daresay that this moment in the season is often a crucial indicator of what trajectory their seasons will take. Of course, if things don’t click right from the beginning, there is absolutely no need to panic. Even last year, when the car was in a much worse shape, Mercedes managed to turn it around towards the end of the season.
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Coming back to the fans, quite a large number of them have expressed concern over Mercedes deciding to introduce their upgrades in Monaco, however, looking at the situation as an outsider, it can be taken in one of two ways. Had Mercedes decided to push their upgrade package back to Spain, they would have had a “bonus” week to further polish them, but on the other hand, by introducing them in Monaco, they will gather valuable data as soon as possible, and be able to fix any issues prior to the Spanish Grand Prix, right?
It is true that the Monaco track has a fairly higher risk of damage due to its narrow streets, but one must not forget Mercedes’ good track record on this particular track. And so, if Mercedes do bring their upgrade package in Monaco as promised, we might be able to experience a blast from the past, meaning that the Team could actually turn out to be more competitive than previously expected. Besides, as mentioned before, in case of a not so positive weekend outcome, there is absolutely no need to lose hope, because if we were to take a quick look at the upcoming circuits, there are a few on which Mercedes tends to do well.
Summing everything up, one thing is clear: the Team are working day in and day out in order to create the right package of upgrades for the W14, and even if things don’t work out as we’d hope right from the very beginning, it is important to remember that all these changes need time to adjust. More so, if we are completely honest, the Monaco track has not suited Mercedes’ current car concept, so with these upgrades and the upcoming races in mind, this ‘gamble’ might just pay dividends.
“We will get that Championship back”, Lewis said at a recent public event, and indeed, this is the mindset we, as fans, should definitely have as well. All the broken pieces at Mercedes seem to be slowly getting back together, and very soon we might be in for a treat.
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