Mercedes and Ferrari – Formula 1 nightmare is getting worse

Status: 03/17/2023 07:26

Mercedes and Ferrari messed up the season opener, the crisis from last year continues. There are some indications that the nightmare will continue – or that it will get worse at the upcoming race weekend starting today (March 17th, 2023) in Saudi Arabia (all live tickers from training, qualifying and races at sportschau.de).

Because in addition to the Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who have long since been out of reach and who dominated the start in Bahrain, another racing team has now passed the red and silver ones, and that is like a resounding slap in the face: over 40 drivers Fernando Alonso drove his Aston Martin to the podium in the desert race, only metal remained for Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari.

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The competition, so often humiliated by Mercedes with eight-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, is enjoying the current situation and happily teasing those who have been left behind. “At Mercedes, the start is just as bumpy as it was last year”Red Bulls motorsport director Helmut Marko rejoices before the reunion in Saudi Arabia. “I just don’t think there will be a quick solution now.”

No “Game Changer” found

They even see it the same way with the black lacquered Silver Arrows. Desperation was already on the horizon during the week as the team penned an open letter to their deeply disappointed fans: “We know it hurts you too. We won’t panic or react knee-jerk.”

The supporters would definitely like a few reflexes to get the car back on track. But team boss Toto Wolff curbs expectations: “Some minor improvements” have now succeeded, but one “game changer” don’t be there

Team internal mood tester at Mercedes

The big question now is whether it will be as devastating as it was two weeks ago in the Sakhir desert, where Formula 1 record world champion Lewis Hamilton, humiliatingly, did not even make it into the second qualifying round and should also become the team’s internal mood tester. Hamilton has already publicly criticized it harshly, and Wolff also slipped out that the season concept had already failed and that he should actually have fired himself. But he didn’t.

Now Wolff says: “Since Bahrain, we’ve had open and honest conversations, which is the basis of which we’ve started to lay out our plan of how we’re going to hit back.”British media had reported after Bahrain about a night crisis meeting with all engineers.

Hamilton wants the eighth title

What makes the matter almost embarrassing: Aston Martin drives with Mercedes drives, and the two-time world champion Alonso is now perceived more as a challenger for defending champion Verstappen than Hamilton and his teammate George Russell.

The British media are now even starting a discussion as to whether Hamilton might even change teams again. It can be assumed that he still wants to win the eighth world title, which would make him the sole record holder ahead of Michael Schumacher. After more than 50 seconds behind Verstappen in Bahrain, it is already clear that he cannot do that with the current W14.

Ferrari change would be pointless for Hamilton

But where should Hamilton go anyway? Red Bull are very happy with a number one Verstappen and reliable Sergio Perez. Ferrari has always been the subject of speculation, but apart from tradition and a very decent economic equipment, nothing speaks for the Reds for many years.

Even the dismissal of the team boss Mattia Binotto, who was completely overwhelmed at all levels, has of course not yet made a winning team out of the Scuderia. The new Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur puts his finger in the wound much more clearly than smooth talker Binotto ever did: “It’s important to get a clear picture of the situation. The biggest problem for me is reliability, we’re too weak there.”

Vasseur calls for “stronger response”

In addition, the racing team had to get the strong wear and tear of the tires under control. “I already told the team before the tests in Bahrain two weeks ago that the championship will not be over in Bahrain”, Vasseur continued. You have to show a stronger reaction after the analysis. Here, too, the Saudi Arabia GP becomes a mood tester.

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