Mercedes Chief Technical Officer, Mike Elliott, expresses hope that the team has finally found a clear development direction as they aim to bounce back from a challenging period in Formula 1.
Mercedes clinched the Constructors’ Championship in 2021 but has faced difficulties since then. Red Bull’s triumph in 2022 ended Mercedes’ run of eight consecutive Constructors’ titles, and Max Verstappen secured the Drivers’ Championship as well. In the 2023 season, Red Bull has dominated, winning all 12 Grands Prix so far.
During this difficult period, Mercedes has struggled, with only one victory in the last year and a half, courtesy of George Russell at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
However, Mercedes embarked on a learning journey in 2022 and into the current season. They made significant changes, including abandoning their ‘zero-pod’ concept in favor of a sidepod design more similar to Red Bull’s. Mike Elliott believes that these developments have provided the team with a clear direction to follow as they aim to regain competitiveness in Formula 1.
