Red Bull and Ferrari haven’t written off Mercedes from the 2023 title fight despite a poor start

Christian Horner and Fred Vasseur insist that Mercedes still are the title contender in 2023.

Red Bull and Ferrari haven’t written off Mercedes from the 2023 title fight despite a poor start

Mercedes W14 at Bahrain (Credits: Group Media)

Mercedes, the former world champion team, had a terrible start to the season, finishing behind primary rivals Red Bull and Ferrari and even losing to Aston Martin. In order to reclaim lost ground, the German automaker is reportedly considering a total redesign of the vehicle. While some feel Mercedes will have to forego short-term benefits with its current vehicle, others believe the team will not be down for long.

Red Bull team head Christian Horner believes Mercedes has a chance to make huge improvements if it converts to an effective design. “I’ve been around long enough to see things change so quickly. I think these cars are still relatively immature and, as teams develop and upgrades come, things will change,” he said.

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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur feels it is too early to declare Mercedes out of the title race based only on their performance in Bahrain. “I think that Mercedes will wake up soon. The next race will be a different story in Jeddah with a different tarmac. So let’s see in Jeddah if we have a better picture,” Vasseur said. Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, also backed Vasseur’s belief that Mercedes will make progress throughout the season. “I also believe that Mercedes will become better throughout the season,” he said.

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Mercedes design debate: Is a total overhaul necessary for a comeback?

Mercedes battling with Aston Martins at the Bahrain GP
Mercedes battling with Aston Martins at the Bahrain GP (Credits: Autosport)

Mercedes is debating on whether to modify the current design or revamp the entire car, with some preferring to start from scratch for the 2024 season., Horner believes there will be a lot of convergence towards the downwash sidepod solution that his team pioneered and that Aston Martin has also explored. “I think the operating windows of these cars are very narrow and every team in the top three looks like it has developed its theme,” he said. “One team has adopted our theme and it made a gain. So I guess at one point, it is going to converge, and that can happen during a season.”

Mercedes’ foes anticipate the Silver Arrows to “wake up” and rebound quickly from its dismal start to the new season. While the team is experiencing difficulties, its rivals believe Mercedes cannot be written off from the title race so quickly. That was only the first race of a 23-race season, and anything might happen at any time.

While Mercedes has had a sluggish start to the season, its competitors are not taking them lightly. The forthcoming race in Jeddah will offer a clearer view of the team’s performance, and it remains to be seen if they will be able to make substantial progress with their existing vehicle or whether they will need to move to a more capable design.

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