SUMMARY
- Mercedes acknowledges Red Bull's dominance, shifts focus to securing P2 against McLaren and Ferrari.
- Japanese Grand Prix highlights Mercedes' struggles, with Hamilton and Russell securing distant finishes, pushing them down in the constructors' race.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has adopted a pragmatic approach following a string of underwhelming performances in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Red Bull and their star driver, Max Verstappen have emerged as a dominant force, effectively snatching away Mercedes’ championship aspirations. As Lewis Hamilton gears up to make his departure, danger looms over Mercedes garage.
The Japanese Grand Prix served as a stark highlight of Silver Arrows’ current shortcomings. Hamilton and George Russell ended the race with seventh and ninth-place finishes, respectively, underscoring the team’s struggles. This string of lackluster results has pushed them to a distant fight for second place in the constructors’ championship, with even that achievement posing a significant challenge.
Toto Wolff aims to catch up with Mercedes’ rivals
Wolff has acknowledged the renewed objective, conceding that a championship fight is no longer a realistic possibility. Mercedes’ focus has shifted towards securing a P2 finish in the constructors’ championship. Achieving this goal, however, hinges on significant improvements to their W15 car.
Toto Wolff tells https://t.co/wBvTAwTp6l that “no one will catch Max this year” adding that both the Dutchman and the Red Bull are “spectacular.”
“Hopefully we can catch up with the McLarens and the Ferraris and fight for P2,” he said.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) April 7, 2024
According to the Austrian team lead, “No one is going to catch Max this year. His driving and the car, just spectacular. I can see how he manages the tires. Basically, this season now is best of the rest. That’s the fight, that’s all. Hopefully, we can catch up to the McLarens and to the Ferraris, and fight for P2. This is what it is this year, and what it was last year and we were P2 last year.”
The upcoming regulation changes for the 2026 season pose an additional complication for the Brackley-based team. With limited resources as teams prioritize the development of their new power units, extensive upgrades to the W15 seem improbable. This situation has led many to believe that 2026 represents a more realistic opportunity for Mercedes to return to the top step of the podium.
Mercedes alert: McLaren and Ferrari threat looms large
The scene has changed for the 2024 Formula 1 season, with Mercedes up against fresh challenge from McLaren and Ferrari. With the current world champion leading the way, Red Bull continues to dominate, but the race for second place and podium finishes has gotten closer substantially. The Milton Keynes-based team and their 2024 challenger are a force to reckon with.
[ Japanese GP 2022 🏎️ ]
– Max Verstappen is 113 points clear of perez in driver’s standing and Redbull is 165 ahead of Ferrari in constructors .
[ Japanese GP 2023 🏎️ ]
– Max is 223 points clear of Perez in driver’s standing and RedBull is 318 ahead of Mercedes in constructors… pic.twitter.com/4eSDELFHL4
— ahmed baokbah 🇸🇦🏎✈️ (@ahmed_baokbah) April 3, 2024
This season, McLaren has consistently outwitted Mercedes in terms of strategy. Their ability to read the race, adjust to shifting circumstances, and seize opportunities has produced outstanding results. One of the finest efforts of the papaya team has been Lando Norris’ podium result in Australia. On the contrary, Silver Arrows had to face a double DNF.
McLaren has seen significant gains after the hiring of Oscar Piastri. Prior winner of the Formula 2 championship, the young driver has shown his skills on the track, frequently outperforming his more experienced partner, Norris. While the Woking-based team has been doing well for themselves, Ferrari seems to be in a different league altogether.
📊 Constructors stadings after the Japanese GP:
🔵 RBR = 141 PTS
🔴 Ferrari = 120 PTS
🟠 McLaren = 69 PTS
⚫️ Mercedes = 34 PTS
🟢 Aston Martin = 33 PTS#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 #F1 pic.twitter.com/pcjT1KUf7Z— McLaren News | 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 (@McLarenF1_News) April 7, 2024
Until the 2023 campaign, Prancing Horse was suffering from technical as well as strategic mismanagement. Fast forward to 2024, both their drivers have been achieving one in the top five spots in every race. Although Carlos Sainz will be out of contract this year, he is the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race so far into the season.