Mercedes called 'not the force they were' by F1 pundit after two disappointing years

F1 pundit Martin Brundle has said that Mercedes are no longer the force they once was after two disappointing seasons in the new regulations. The German team has been on a downward spiral in the last two seasons ever since F1 switched to the ground effect regulations. The regulation has seen the team fumble with the zero-sidepod car concept in 2022.

The concept just did not work and it was a surprise for many when the team persisted with it in 2023. Mercedes were able to win a race last season but the 2023 season saw the team not win a race for the first time since 2011.

Pointing to the talent exodus from the team in the last few years, Brundle wrote in his Sky F1 column that the team was a spent force in the sport. He wrote:

“I think there’s no doubt about it, Mercedes quite clearly are not the force they were. Because they didn’t get the 2022 car right and they didn’t fix it for 2023. And there has been a lot of personnel movement because they’re obviously very attractive people from the era of total domination that they had."

He added:

“You see it in other sports, where a group of people seemingly just couldn’t lose, and then all of a sudden, they can’t win. It’s really odd, and all it needs is a couple or three pieces of the jigsaw puzzle changing one way or the other. It’s a mighty team. But they’ve got to align their stars again, and 2024 is a big year for Mercedes.”

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Mercedes director feels the team achieved 'the absolute upper bound' in 2023

Mercedes technical director James Allison has said that the team's performance in 2023 was the best possible after the start they had. The Silver Arrows did not start the season well - the W14 was considered the fourth fastest car on the grid by many. Mercedes recovered from that to finish P2 in the championship by the end of the season.

Talking to Sky F1, Allison said:

“Considering where the car we launched [was], P2 was the absolute upper bound of what the team could achieve and we did a good job of getting there. That does actually feel surprisingly good, albeit slightly in conflict with our desire to be, unequivocally, the best team. But we have lots of assets – the team itself is full of very strong engineers, an operation that will be the envy of many."

He added:

"Notwithstanding a few mistakes that we made here and there during the year! And a driver lineup that I think all teams would look at with an envious eye. We’ve got, in one of our drivers, arguably the most successful person who’s ever sat behind the wheel of a racing car and, in the other one, a very, very promising younger man in George Russell."

The 2024 F1 season is crucial for the Brackley-based team as after two poor seasons they will be hoping for a better run at the front.