Mercedes has demonstrated an upturn in performance since introducing a major upgrade package in Monaco last month. The team achieved its first double podium finish of the 2023 season in Spain, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell securing third and fifth places, respectively. While Russell retired from the recent Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton engaged in a race-long battle with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin and finished third.
Max Verstappen’s victory in Montreal extended Red Bull’s unbeaten run in the 2023 season. However, the relatively small margin of victory, with second-placed Alonso finishing within 10 seconds of Verstappen, has raised speculation that the gap at the front of the field is narrowing.
Mercedes has been optimistic about its prospects following the Canadian GP. An unnamed engineer within the team has claimed that Mercedes is one upgrade away from being competitive for race wins. Additionally, Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliott has predicted that the team’s W14 car will perform well in the upcoming races in Austria and Britain.
Despite Mercedes’ positive outlook, former Williams team manager Windsor remains skeptical. Windsor believes that Verstappen’s winning margin in Canada, where he hit a bird early in the race, was misleading. He suggests that Red Bull’s advantage is so significant that they can already shift their focus to next year’s car. Windsor stated that while Mercedes is making progress, expecting them to consistently challenge Red Bull in the near future would likely lead to disappointment.
Windsor emphasized the consistency and margin Verstappen displayed during the race, pointing out the Dutch driver’s ability to maintain consistent lap times within a tight range. He suggests that Verstappen had additional performance in hand, as evidenced by his ability to push even in challenging conditions. Windsor also noted that Mercedes’ car appeared to have some bouncing issues, as mentioned by Hamilton after the race, indicating that there is still room for improvement.
Mercedes has already pursued a different design philosophy with its Monaco upgrade, and further substantial revisions are planned for Silverstone. However, Windsor questions whether these upgrades will be enough to challenge Red Bull’s dominance, suggesting that Red Bull can focus on saving resources for next year’s car.
As Mercedes continues its development and aims to close the gap, the upcoming races and further upgrades will be crucial in determining whether they can mount a consistent challenge to Red Bull in the 2023 Formula 1 season.
