Mercedes has been a consistent midfield team for the first time since 2013, having only managed to uncover its great potential at the 2022 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
The specific characteristics of its concept have not allowed Mercedes to place the W13 at a lower height from the ground and it has remained with a very tight chassis, which has caused its car to be more sensitive to the smallest imperfections in the track compared to with both leading teams, Red Bull and Ferrari.
On paper, however, the Brackley team’s car for the 2022 F1 season should generate plenty of downforce in ideal conditions, and they could be much closer to those ideal characteristics at Silverstone and Paul Ricard, so this end of the week they might have their best chance of catching up with the two strongest teams of the season.
According to former Mercedes technical director James Allison , who is now more involved in running the team, the feeling is the same at the team’s factory.
“Not everyone in the factory is out there saying it, but we are cautiously optimistic that we can have a much more promising weekend than we have had in recent grands prix,” the British engineer told Sky Sports .
“Certain characteristics of the track will suit our car better, which is not yet capable of fighting for wins. good result”.
Allison also admitted that unless something strange happens to the two teams ahead of them, they have no chance of winning a race under normal conditions.
“Maybe Red Bull will make a mistake at the right time, who knows,” said a slightly sullen Allison, who also admitted she would probably cry if one of her drivers won a race this year.
At the moment, the team with the silver bullets is in third position in the constructors’ championship with 188 points and is the only team on the grid that has managed to score points in each and every one of the races this season, showing that , if at some point they get more performance, their great reliability will be key.
