Mercedes faces a “tense” period after starting another Formula 1 season on the back foot.
That’s the view of Martin Brundle, who described a change in atmosphere within the F1 team following comments from Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton described the Merc as “miles away” from Red Bull as he finished fifth in what team principal Wolff dubbed “one of my worst days in racing”.
Highlighting the lack of pace, it was increasingly unlikely that the Mercedes concept for the sport’s technical regulations, introduced last year, would kick in to create a title-winning car.
“It seems to me that Mercedes have taken the wrong course in 2022 and refuses to turn around,” former F1 driver Brundle wrote for Sky Sports.
“Even Lewis and Toto were openly expressing their disappointment at times over the weekend, and normally they only sing the praises of the Brackley and Brixworth teams.
“It must be tense in the team at the moment; the quality is there, it just lacks meaning and oxygen to calm people’s minds.
“The zero pontoon concept is not the buzz phrase they will want to hear again, but the team’s mantra was that changing direction would first require stepping back before working and understanding a new philosophy of aerodynamics.
“George Russell has already said he’s ready to take that pain for longer term gain. They dogmatically turned the Mercedes into a late-win car last season, but I don’t see or hear the appetite for another year like this.
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