The 2023 season has started off with new problems for Toto Wolff. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished P5 and P7 in the season opener in Bahrain.
This means Mercedes are well off the pace of Red Bull and possibly Ferrari too. And with Fernando Alonso grabbing a podium in Bahrain, Aston Martin might have left them behind.
The team are now facing a dilemma of abandoning their 2023 car or focusing on updates and making radical changes on the W14. But any move will definitely cost the team a hefty price.
Also Read: After George Russell, Even Toto Wolff Thinks Red Bull Will Win Every Race in 2023
Toto Wolff claims Red Bull is too far ahead of Mercedes in 2023
Just after the first race of the season, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff waived the white flag to Red Bull. He claims Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are too strong and might sweep up wins in each and every race this season.
The Austrian claims the team can toss the W14 in the trash instead. Catching up to the pace of RB19 is not possible. But the team need to take calls regarding the upgrades.
While the Silver Arrows could plan on revamping the W14 entirely, the development will cost them dearly. And in the time of FIA mandating a $135 Million Budget cap, it might be a difficult task.
NEWS: Mercedes will DITCH their zero-pod concept [AMuS] pic.twitter.com/yglR3OhUTb
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News ✇ (@MercedesNewsUK) March 5, 2023
Wolff said that he is not sure if the budget cap actually restricts Mercedes in the current situation. He explained that the team simply needs to decide on a course of action and commit all of its resources to it.
Furthermore, he stated that the Silver Arrows won’t be working on two cars at once. Only one car will be developed and they will decide which one in the coming days and weeks.
Mercedes to ditch Zero-Sidepod approach
Toto Wolff believes the W14 package unveiled at the Bahrain GP wasn’t competitive. But the team need to figure out the best concept and head back to the drawing board.
Mercedes took a new approach in designing the W14. This includes a new Zero Sidepod car and several new changes. But the improvements have not materialised and the team might consider heading in a new direction.
The Austrian told that they did their best over the winter. Now they simply need to get back together, speak with the engineers, avoid dogmatism, and talk about the course of action.
Alonso 🆚 Hamilton
From any angle, this was class 👌#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Z4rrjEQVbf
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 6, 2023
He admitted that the team made a mistake last year. Mercedes tried to fix it by keeping the car concept, but it didn’t work. The only thing left to do is to focus our attention in the direction the team believes to be the most effective.
The Mercedes Boss has reportedly started taking action and concluded an important meeting with the technical team at Brackley. The pressure looms over technical director Mike Elliot as Chief Techincal Officer James Allison returns.
Also Read: Toto Wolff Fires Ultimatum at Mike Elliott as James Allison Returns to Improve the W14
