| by Gwyneth Engelman
It is still not clear with which car Mercedes will enter the new season. The W14 has been presented, but the racing stable has also immediately indicated that there are still adjustments to be made. What does this mean? Is Mercedes playing a strategic game? Or is there something wrong with the car? Motorsport.com discusses the possibilities.
There were high expectations for Mercedes last season, the team that has won eight constructors’ titles and seven world titles since the hybrid era. However, nothing could be further from the truth and there were immediate problems with the W13 from the start of the season. Drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled to control the car, especially in the beginning, and the problems with porpoising in bouncing didn’t make it any easier. In the end, Mercedes ended up only once on the podium as the winner and the team finished third in the standings.
That has to change in 2023, but Mercedes is still cautious about the statements about the W14, which was presented on February 15. Team boss Toto Wolff did not say much, but did mention that the unique concept of the sidepods probably will disappear. “There is a lot of energy and motivation to build a car that will eventually be competitive enough to compete at the top,” said the Austrian. Due to his careful choice of words, there is therefore speculation that the car is not yet functioning properly. During the presentation of the new car, there were also some rumors that the hoped-for figures had not been achieved in the wind tunnel.
Cautious statements about disappointing W14
Not only Wolff, but also drivers Hamilton and Russell are careful with their statements. The seven-time world champion has already indicated that he is less confident than last year and that he is going into the season more cautiously. “Hopefully we will have a good start, but we cannot blindly assume that,” says the Briton, who is awaiting the results from Bahrain. ‘Last year it turned out that we can get back on track, so if necessary we will do the same this year.’
Russell also beats the crap out of it when asked for his opinion on the new car. “Mercedes has often shown that the car can still be developed during the season,” said the 25-year-old Briton. “We still have no idea how the car will actually perform,” says Russell, who did indicate that there have certainly been adjustments to the W14 compared to the W13. “Only when we really start testing and racing will we see how we compare to Ferrari or Red Bull Racing.”
Question marks everywhere at Mercedes
How the Mercedes car will perform on the track is therefore still a question mark for everyone. There is some uncertainty at the German racing stable, which was reinforced by the shakedown, it was not entirely without problems. The fifteen kilometer demo run at Silverstone had some fits and starts. But the season has not yet started and therefore cannot be given up immediately, says Hamilton. “We don’t know what to expect, but the only thing you can do is prepare yourself,” says the seven-time world champion. “Hopefully the W14 will have the features we asked for, and if not, we’ll make the best of it.”
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