Mercedes fell behind in 2022 F1 season because of 'hangover' from 2021, believes Red Bull boss Christian Horner

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner feels there was a bit of a hangover of the 2021 F1 season for Mercedes, which resulted in the team falling behind this year.

The battle for the World Drivers' Championship (WDC) between Mercedes and Red Bull in 2021 was very fierce and was decided only on the last lap of the season. It is widely believed that the intensity of the battle played a part in the Brackley-based team not getting the design of the 2022 car right.

Red Bull, on the other hand, were able to put together a competent package that was able to challenge at the front from the outset this year. As a result, they won 17 races this season, while Mercedes managed to register only one win and finished third in the World Constructors' Championship.

When asked by GPFans if he expected the 2022 campaign to play out the way it had, Christian Horner admitted that he did not. He credited his team for adapting to the change in regulations and working hard to ensure they can perform at their best.

“You would never have believed it. I think that especially off the back of last year, that took so much energy, last year’s championship, and you could see Mercedes had a hangover from that this year. I am just incredibly proud of the whole team, how it raised the bar again and came back fighting, adapting to the regulations, and being strategically sharp,” he said.

Reflecting on the season, Horner praised both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez for standing up when needed.

“We were on it when we needed to be and both drivers played their part with some massive victories. It was the first time they didn’t have a dominant car, so to be able to beat them last year and to beat them again this year has been an incredible performance,” he added.

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Can Mercedes bounce back in 2023?

One of the more crucial questions that F1 fans have been left wondering is whether Mercedes can get over the blip and bounce back in 2023. The team was able to claw back a chunk of the gap to the front throughout the season and ended the campaign in a much better position compared to how they began.

Next season, with a much better foundation and with Red Bull compromised by a reduced development time, it will not be a surprise to see the German team right in contention for the honors. The team, ably led by Toto Wolff, was able to pick up a record eight consecutive WDC titles and will be eager to return to the tracks and prove their worth all over again.