"They had more energy available" - Helmut Marko on Mercedes engine gains throughout F1 2021 season

Red Bull F1 advisor Helmut Marko suggests Mercedes had the more powerful engine and the better car throughout the 2021-22 season. According to the Red Bull F1 talent scout, Mercedes made gains in engine power over the course of the season, and were better at sorting out their setups.

Speaking to German publication Auto Motor und Sport, Marko described Mercedes' gains throughout the season and said:

“We had to develop because Mercedes also took a step with the engine. On the electrical side, they were able to mobilize more. For example, after a restart for one or two laps. Then they had more energy available.”

Marko explained they had to constantly develop their package throughout the season as their rivals Mercedes upped the ante every few races. In the last four races, Mercedes used new engines for the Brazil GP where they had a spike in performance. However, their reliability remained a constant concern and their performance would drop after three races.

Explaining the Mercedes car in comparison to the Red Bull F1 car, Marko said:

“We struggled with the coordination work. We no longer came to results so purposefully. Mercedes got the setup done faster. And they had the car better in the tire window. In the qualification, Max could make the difference. In the racing trim, the Mercedes was the faster car.”

While Mercedes had setup issues in the initial half of the season, it was due to the reduced size of the wheel-base of the car which cost them significant amounts of performance and downforce.

Towards the end of the season the Silver Arrows squad seem to have overcome their setup issues, but they also had some track sequencing favoring them.

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Mercedes lost two of their long-time sponsors prior to the 2022 season

Mercedes have parted ways with sponsors Bose and Epson after the 2021 season. Both Bose and Epson collaborated with the team for eight successful years of their dominant reign in the sport.

Their departure marks the end of a long-term partnership with the eight-time world champions. However, it remains to be seen if the two brands will depart F1 altogether or move to another team.

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