The progression of McLaren could inspire Mercedes
After a very difficult start to the season, the McLaren team has made a spectacular progression in the hierarchy, overtaking other teams. This significant step forward should serve as an example to Mercedes.
If we disregard Max Verstappen’s total dominance, which will soon remove some suspense from this championship, there have been many changes within the pack.
It was enough to see how McLaren pushed their limits starting from Silverstone, challenging Max Verstappen for the victory with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Aston Martin has dazzled the start of the season (particularly Fernando Alonso), Ferrari has given (a little) hope to the tifosi at Monza… and Mercedes has not yet found a way to get back into the fight for victory. And Toto Wolff, the boss of the German team, already knows where the shortcomings lie.
« There are several solutions to progress. But if we knew exactly what needed to be done, it would be much easier, he admits. « Our car is quite unpredictable, lacks a lot of grip, and has a number of things that we need to work on. »
Singapore: Mercedes’ lucky break?
This weekend, F1 will return to Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix. This track has sometimes been a nightmare for Mercedes when they were at the peak of their dominance in F1: just remember 2015, where the Silver Arrows were nowhere to be found, and 2019, when Ferrari secured a one-two finish.
The layout of Marina Bay, requiring strong downforce, could nevertheless suit the W14. This would allow us to « position ourselves just behind Red Bull, » Toto Wolff laughed.
But this season, it’s difficult to break free from a very tight pack. « From second to sixth, it’s very close,” he says. « At least, we manage to score points with both cars very often. In order to get closer to Red Bull, for example by 2024, we will need to take a step forward like McLaren and Aston Martin have recently done. Considering our car, we are doing the best job we can. »
