Nico Rosberg believes Mercedes and Ferrari are no where close to challenging Red Bull for the 2023 title race.
Mercedes dominated F1 during the turbo-hybrid era from 2014 to 2021 claiming 8-consecutive Constructors championships. But Nico Rosberg believes Red Bull has dethroned them.
Rosberg believes Red Bull has earned their time to dominate F1. The team has dominated the 2022 season, sealing both championships before the finale in Abu Dhabi.
Max Verstappen won the Drivers championship for the 2nd time after winning in Japan. And after the Dutchman claimed his record-equalling 13th victory in COTA, Red Bull was declared Constructors champions.
Red Bull won the title after 9 years after Sebastian Vettel’s title-winning season in 2013. But Rosberg believes their era of dominance in the sport has arrived.
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Nico Rosberg highlights Mercedes’ “Achilles heel”
Nico Rosberg himself won the 2016 World Championship driving for Mercedes. During his time with the Silver Arrows, Mercedes won 3 straight championships and would go on to win another 5.
But Rosberg believes their time has passed and it seems to be Red Bull’s era. The team are much stronger and according to the German, will be difficult to beat in the upcoming season too.
Rosberg said, “It’s definitely in a period now where it’s going to be so difficult for any other team to come close again. Even next year, the way it’s going at the moment because they have such momentum.”
Especially for Ferrari and Mercedes, who failed to come close to Red Bull. He added, “It’s going to be really tough for Ferrari, or even Mercedes to get closer.”
Ferrari were faster than Red Bull at the start of the season. But as the season progressed, the Itlaians lost the development battle and
Rosberg believes Mercedes are far off from winning races too. And if the Silver Arrows don’t perfect their 2023 car in the winter break, it could be another long season for the Brackley-based team.
Rosberg remarked, “For Mercedes, the Achilles heel is that straight-line pace. My goodness, they slow on a straight, especially compared to Red Bull. I really hope they manage to find the secret there to unlock some pace down the straights.”
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Nico Rosberg compares current Red Bull dominance to Mercedes’s
Mercedes has so far claimed 0 wins in the 2022 season. While Red Bull has claimed 15 wins and 5 1-2 finishes in the 19 races so far. Thus it’s hard to believe Red Bull will not carry forward the momentum into next season.
Nico Rosberg feels, “Red Bull is the dominant force at the moment in the way that Mercedes were in all these past years.” And the stats prove the team has had a dominant season just like Mercedes’s during their winning years.
Rosberg compares the two saying, “Securing that constructors’ championship as well so early. Also having such a dominant team in every area at the moment, just as Mercedes had.”
Rosberg believes the team have the best driver and the best strategy this season. And looking at the pace of the car, they have the best engine and have solved all reliability issues. Something Ferrari has struggled to solve in 2022.
But if Red Bull is penalised for their 2021 Budget cap breach, they could face reduced Wind tunnel testing. The FIA and Red Bull have reportedly agreed to a 25% deduction in testing.
This could alter the development of the car and could shake up the order for the upcoming season. The decision will be announced soon as FIA delayed the verdict following Red Bull’s founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s death ahead of the 2022 US GP.
