Mercedes lost yet more ground to their Formula 1 rivals at last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. George Russell came home sixth, with Lewis Hamilton down in ninth.
Hamilton had provided one of the few high points of the season so far for the Brackley outfit when he qualified and finished second for the Saturday sprint race. But while he’d capitalised on a late qualifying downpour, he knew it would be difficult to sustain that performance in the dry.
In the end, Hamilton made a mistake on his final Q1 lap that saw him knocked out at the first hurdle for the first time since the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Russell, meanwhile, took eighth.
On race day, the seven-time world champion hauled his car to the penultimate points-paying position, and Russell managed to gain a couple of places. But Ferrari and McLaren are building a gap in the battle behind Red Bull.
As Frederic Vasseur noted, the Scuderia are now 99 points ahead of last year’s runner-up. And McLaren are 44 clear after Lando Norris bagged an excellent second place.
Mercedes have failed to finish in the top four at any of the first five races for only the second time since their return to F1 in 2010. This last happened back in 2011 when Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were behind the wheel.
The Silver Arrows had only scored eight points at the previous round in Suzuka but they knew China was a very different circuit. After visiting one of the fastest circuits on the calendar, they arrived at one with only a single high-speed corner.
And yet, there was still no marked improvement. As it stands, the W15 simply looks like a slow car.
Frederik Vesti shares mood in Mercedes camp
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Mercedes reserve and simulator driver Frederick Vesti has offered some insight into what’s happening behind the scenes at Brackley. The former F2 man has been with the team since 2021.
He’s therefore seen them win the last of their eight consecutive titles, and then struggle in the ground effect era.
The 22-year-old says the team recognise it will be a long road to recapturing the form of yesteryear. But they remain ‘united’ and determined to deliver the kind of upgrades that can turn the season around.
“The team is determined to go back to the glory days where they were P1 in qualifying, P1 in the race and dominating the field,” he said. “I think everyone recognises that it takes a lot of work as well.
“I’m a reserve and sim driver – I know how much work we need to put in – and I feel that as well. The engineers feel that, and everyone at the factory.
“Of course it’s tough when you have high expectations and the car is not delivering, but at the same time, the team is united and we are ready to work really, really hard to see upgrades coming this year, but also looking ahead.”
Mercedes plan upgrades for Miami Grand Prix
Team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports in Shanghai that he expected a ‘good step’ from Mercedes’ upgrade package at the next race in Miami. They will be the first major updates of the new season.
Ted Kravitz said at the Japanese GP that the team wanted to focus on optimising their set-ups before introducing new parts. It will clearly be a twofold process.
Wolff and co. have known since the start of the season that their car struggled in high-speed corners. They were slower than Alpine and Williams in those sections at the Saudi Arabian GP.
It was around that time that they started investigating the possibility of a ‘fundamental’ design issue. And all signs point to more serious mistakes.
Mercedes have struggled at every track profile so far, and so this upgrade feels crucial. It may be F1’s longest-ever season, but it will quickly start getting away from them for good if they don’t get it right.
One thing the team’s hierarchy won’t be doing is firing designer James Allison. BBC journalist Andrew Benson says such a move is ‘out of the question’.
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