“Prizes are no longer an option for Mercedes” – Former World Champion thinks Mercedes is out of this year’s championship battle

Samriddhi Jaiswal | 30/03/2022
"Prizes are no longer an option for Mercedes" - Former World Champion thinks Mercedes is out of this year's championship battle

Mercedes is struggling with pace in the 2022 season with team boss Toto Wolff calling it a ‘lesson in humility.’

Mercedes has won eight consecutive championship titles but it seems like the Brackley-based team will lose its winning streak this season. Former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve thinks that Mercedes has fallen from its pedestal.

In the two races of the new season, Mercedes struggled more in Saudi Arabia than in Bahrain. The team secured a surprising podium with Lewis Hamilton at P3 as the Red Bulls had to retire from the race in Bahrain. Hamilton’s teammate George Russell secured P4.

In Jeddah, while Russell managed to secure P5, Hamilton could only gather enough pace for P10 after qualifying P16.

Villeneuve said, “We can say that competing for the prizes is no longer an option for Mercedes. He pointed out that while Russell seems to be doing quite well with the W13, Hamilton is failing through the cracks.

The Canadian driver explained that the seven-time world champion has always had a perfect car and he never really had to push to get everything out of it.

Also Read: When Lewis Hamilton had to pick one between two NBA legends

Mercedes is out of the championship battle

The budget cap also makes it harder for the Brackley-based team. The cap makes it even more difficult to change the course of the battle and therefore the championship is very far away.

Villeneuve wonders how the sponsors and the bosses will react to Mercedes’ situation. He said, “By the time they are competitive again, Leclerc and Verstappen will be much too far away.”

However, going ahead, Mercedes is suspected to introduce a new rear wing in Australia. If the rear wing can help solve the team’s problem, Hamilton and Russell compete against Ferrari and Red Bull.

Also Read: Charles Leclerc insists that DRS should not be removed from F1 in the near future

Post Edited By: Samriddhi Jaiswal
Jacques Villeneuve Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Toto Wolff

About the author

Samriddhi Jaiswal

Samriddhi Jaiswal is an F1 editor and writer at The SportsRush. She started her career as a business journalist but soon found her calling in lights out here we go! Samriddhi has been a Ferrari fan even when her interaction with F1 was occasional. Her first real experience with the thrilling sport came when Charles Leclerc clinched his iconic victory in Spa and Monza and painted the track red. Now, a Tifosi, Samriddhi is a hardcore fan of the prancing horse and can relate to the chaos within the Italian camp and also admires Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Off the track, she finds her home in books and musical instruments.

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