At the turn of new engine regulations in 2014, Mercedes proved to be the most dominant side in Formula 1. They kept the gap even if their chassis designs were not the best. But now that’s not the case, and that habit of without winning the best aerodynamics is now biting them, as claimed by Ben Anderson from The Race.
On the other hand, Red Bull has always dragged itself to be the biggest challenger in the Mercedes era, as their engine from Renault didn’t always help. But now, with Honda, Red Bull has an engine at par with Mercedes, if not better.
And now, the Milton-Keynes-based outfit is dominating the grid comprehensively with the perfect exhibitions by Max Verstappen. Therefore, it’s tough for Mercedes to overcome a package that is being deemed ‘perfect’ as per the new aero regulations.
New Mercedes W14’s front wing🧐
•The main plane takes a wavy pattern similar to 2021 front wings shape 🏎️
•The outwash effect is more pronounced at the edges of the flaps.
• Front wing bracket with the aim of directing the airflow outwards⬅️➡️
–#F1 #BritishGP #SkyMotori pic.twitter.com/J0VgduSVTp— aerodynamics.motorsport1 (@Aerodynamics_M1) July 7, 2023
Mercedes’ discipline is not helping them
Mercedes are still struggling to be in contention for the title. Even though they are second in the standings, they are far from challenging for the championship. And it won’t get better until new engine regulations, scheduled for 2026, kick-off, as they got a ‘discipline’ problem, as per Anderson, who claims that Red Bull was always at the top in that department.
“They always had a power advantage. They didn’t have to work quite as hard on the aero side to punch a wall through the air, and now they do,” said Anderson in The Race F1 Podcast. “We never used to describe Mercedes as a draggy car, but last two years, we have.”
So, Anderson thinks that got to do with the flow concept, and they never went so low to bolster that area during their dominance. But with the new engine rules, incoming, Verstappen fears maybe Mercedes or another team might once again dominate due to the engine.
The 2026 engine rules can be a kingmaker
Speaking after his win in Austria, Verstappen claimed that the team with the fastest engine would be at the edge. According to him, it’s not something positive for the sport.
The Dutch race driver even claims that he isn’t happy to see all the data that is available at the Red Bull PowerTrains, and the new rules don’t excite him even though Red Bull has set up an impressive engine operating factory at Milton-Keynes.
With Ford joining them from 2026 onwards, Red Bull seems to be serious about this challenge. But only 2026 will tell how far they can go in the beginning.
