Photo: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team / Twitter
As the Bahrain pre-season test came and went ahead of the start of Formula 1’s 2023 season, fans were able to see how the teams tackled last year’s issues. But as is usually the case with any new year in the sport, questions arose whether some teams were sandbagging (intentionally not showing the car’s true pace), with many fingers pointed at Mercedes.
This is not without proper justification, of course, as the Silver Arrows are famous for doing everything possible to avoid giving away any unnecessary information. This is not to say that other teams don’t adhere to the same principle when testing, but as Mercedes is a top team, the situation in that camp is much more relevant than, let’s say, Alpine.
And now, with the Bahrain GP weekend currently underway, the answer to that question is becoming apparent. During Friday’s first practice session, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled in the W14, placing 10th and 11th, respectively. Hamilton did, however, improve in the third session, going fourth fastest, just 0.21 seconds slower than Alonso's first place lap.
Such a shoddy performance is completely out of character for the Brackley-based team, as this would be the second season during which it is uncompetitive. Fans are having a hard time believing a team that dominated the sport for eight years would fall so far down the order. Rightfully so, one could add, but such a fall from grace is not unheard of in motorsport.
While there is a possibility that Mercedes is still sandbagging and refusing to show its hand for the 2023 season, it is slim. Practice sessions are not the same thing as a pre-season test, as drivers are getting into their rhythm and trying to get the best feel for the track they can ahead of qualifying.
There is also the fact that Hamilton clearly stated he was unhappy with the current car. The star driver for the Silver Arrows considers only minor tweaks can still be made, as he believes the current setup will only allow milliseconds to be shaved off.
The car looks even worse than what Mercedes started the season with last year, with Hamilton reckoning the W14 is about one second per lap slower than Red Bull. This is concerning news as much for the team and its drivers as it is for the fans.
The silver lining is that a quick glance at the previous season just goes to showcase that Mercedes is capable of dealing with any sort of issue. But even if constant upgrades are introduced during the course of the season, it will be a difficult challenge to overcome such a pace deficit, considering Hamilton believes the car concept is headed down the wrong track.
It remains to be seen how well Mercedes can do on a Sunday and whether the actual race pace can somewhat reduce the practice/qualifying trim deficit. But by the current outlook, fans should not hold their breath hoping for a miracle.
And now, with the Bahrain GP weekend currently underway, the answer to that question is becoming apparent. During Friday’s first practice session, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled in the W14, placing 10th and 11th, respectively. Hamilton did, however, improve in the third session, going fourth fastest, just 0.21 seconds slower than Alonso's first place lap.
Such a shoddy performance is completely out of character for the Brackley-based team, as this would be the second season during which it is uncompetitive. Fans are having a hard time believing a team that dominated the sport for eight years would fall so far down the order. Rightfully so, one could add, but such a fall from grace is not unheard of in motorsport.
While there is a possibility that Mercedes is still sandbagging and refusing to show its hand for the 2023 season, it is slim. Practice sessions are not the same thing as a pre-season test, as drivers are getting into their rhythm and trying to get the best feel for the track they can ahead of qualifying.
There is also the fact that Hamilton clearly stated he was unhappy with the current car. The star driver for the Silver Arrows considers only minor tweaks can still be made, as he believes the current setup will only allow milliseconds to be shaved off.
The car looks even worse than what Mercedes started the season with last year, with Hamilton reckoning the W14 is about one second per lap slower than Red Bull. This is concerning news as much for the team and its drivers as it is for the fans.
The silver lining is that a quick glance at the previous season just goes to showcase that Mercedes is capable of dealing with any sort of issue. But even if constant upgrades are introduced during the course of the season, it will be a difficult challenge to overcome such a pace deficit, considering Hamilton believes the car concept is headed down the wrong track.
It remains to be seen how well Mercedes can do on a Sunday and whether the actual race pace can somewhat reduce the practice/qualifying trim deficit. But by the current outlook, fans should not hold their breath hoping for a miracle.
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