Mercedes puts the basis of the current F1 car in the bulky waste

People with a bit of superstition may have already seen it coming, but the W13 has mainly brought bad luck to the F1 team of Mercedes. After a series of very strong to downright dominant cars, the current F1 car is a big disappointment. Mercedes has so far not won a race this year and is third in the constructors’ championship. The champions of recent years had naturally hoped to start differently with the new regulations. The radical design of the W13, with its minimalist side pods, is then pushed aside.

For 2023, the team is committed to a different design philosophy, team boss Toto Wolff explains according to Motorsport.com. According to Wolff, it does not necessarily mean that Mercedes is going for a more conventional appearance again, with wide side pods. “What is certain is that the architecture of the car will change for next year. That does not immediately mean that our coach will look very different.” What Mercedes must try to solve is that the car is too slow in a straight line. In terms of downforce it is already a lot better than earlier this season. At the W14, the team must drag to reduce the air resistance that slows the car. With the RB18, for example, Red Bull seems to have found a perfect compromise between downforce and little air resistance. The car is therefore fast in the bends as well as on the straights.

While a change in the basic setup could lead to Mercedes-AMG having a better car next year than this year, there is also a danger in this. If Red Bull and Ferrari can simply continue to develop on their current basis, there is a chance that they will further expand their lead and Mercedes will therefore still be behind the facts with the W14. Closing the gap to both this year’s and next year’s cars in one fell swoop will be a big challenge for Mercedes.