When the 2022 season ended, Lewis Hamilton was glad to see the back of the Mercedes W13, which was arguably the most difficult car he ever had to drive. However, little did he expect that the start of the 2023 season will be equally tough.
Mercedes had a woeful outing in Bahrain last weekend, with Hamilton finishing P5 and George Russell finishing P7. They were aiming to fight for wins on a consistent basis once again, but in terms of race pace, they were the fourth-fastest car in Sakhir. Red Bull, meanwhile, was the most dominant team out on track with Max Verstappen leading the Milton-Keynes-based outfit to a one-two finish.
Red Bull’s chief advisor Helmut Marko is bullish about their chances this year but admitted that he is also curious to see how Mercedes pick themselves up from here. The Silver Arrows have had some pretty intense battles with Red Bull in the past, but according to Marko, this season’s budget cap won’t let that happen.
Also read: Mercedes Reveal Why They Didn’t Listen to Lewis Hamilton- And It’s All Because of Fernando Alonso
Why will budget cap spoil Lewis Hamilton Mercedes’ charge?
The FIA’s budget cap for 2023 is set at $135 million, which means that no team can spend more than that throughout the course of the campaign. Over the winter breaks, teams have already spent a lot to get their cars ready for the season so the amount of money they have at their disposal is not unlimited.
As a result, Marko feels that Hamilton and co. won’t be able to get much out of the W14 this year. Marko does not underestimate the Silver Arrows and still feels that they can close the gap, or capitalize on others’ faults to win races as they did in Sao Paolo last year.
However, the 79-year-old remains ‘curious’ to see how they continue to develop the W14 into a stronger car, with the limited amount of money that they can spend in 2023.
Also read: Max Verstappen Warned by Fernando Alonso’s Team as 2-Time World Champion Hunts Down Red Bull Ace
Red Bull may struggle in Saudi Arabia, claims Christian Horner
Red Bull was the most dominant team in Sakhir in the opening round last weekend. Verstappen and Perez started and ended the race in P1 and P2 respectively, which led to many people predicting yet another one horse race in the championship this season.
Mercedes’ George Russell went as far as claiming that Red Bull will win every single race this season. Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner, however, dismissed these claims by suggesting that the data which makes them the favorite on paper is applicable only to the Bahrain International Circuit, where they spent hours on track during pre-season and the opening round.
Horner is also adamant that their rival teams and drivers can close the gap to them in Jeddah in a week’s time, as Corniche Circuit’s layout gives an advantage to teams with low drag and good speed in the fast corners.
