The Red Bull team has had a dominating start to the 2023 season as they have won all the races so far. Since the Milton Keynes outfit have had such a strong start, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton for long has been stating that his arch-rivals have already begun working on next year’s car.
And with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner now confirming the same, Hamilton believes that it is now time for Mercedes to follow suit. The Briton does not see much reason for the Silver Arrows to work on this year’s car as they are already a whopping 154 points behind Red Bull.
Since one of their star drivers wants his team to shift the focus to the 2024 car, the ball is now in Mercedes’ court if they want to listen to Hamilton’s advice or not. It is pertinent to note that the 38-year-old had also provided some of his inputs ahead of this season. However, the team ignored the same.
Considering how the season has panned out so far, Mercedes are likely to regret not listening to their seven-time champion driver.
Christian Horner reveals focus “is already on next year“
While speaking during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Christian Horner made some interesting revelations about his side’s plans for the future. The British team principal said that his team needs to find the right “balance” as this year’s championship is not over yet.
He then added (as quoted by mirror.co.uk), “With the regulations being stable, whatever we learn this year we carry into next year as well. Of course, there are things that we’ll keep bringing to this year’s car, but a lot of the focus now back in the factory is already on next year“.
While starting to work on next year’s car early will certainly provide Red Bull a key advantage, there is no guarantee that they will succeed. However, if any team understands how to keep their domination intact with not many changes to the rules, then it is undoubtedly Red Bull.
The Milton Keynes outfit showcased their dominance from 2010 to 2013 when they won four consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. All of the Driver’s championships were won by Sebastian Vettel.
Mercedes look to bring upgrades to Silverstone
Since Red Bull have been so dominant, the only target that Mercedes and team principal Toto Wolff have for this season is to win a race. After the conclusion of the Canadian Grand Prix this past weekend, Wolff was asked about where he believes his team can win a race this season.
The Austrian replied, “Silverstone” before adding that his team also looks forward to bringing their upgrades to this Grand Prix. Since Silverstone is the home track for the team, and also both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, Mercedes are likely to have strong support at this venue.
Silverstone could be the best opportunity for Mercedes to win a race this season, as Hamilton has his best record at this circuit. The 38-year-old has won a record eight races at this circuit, the same as the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hence, with Wolff having promised upgrades at Silverstone, it will be interesting to see how Mercedes performs at their home race.
