Mercedes, the situation is serious. Toto Wolff has declared since the first race of 2023 that the W14 is a wrong project. George Russell, again on the same weekend, candidly bet that Red Bull will be able to win all 23 races of the season.
A shocking start, especially for a team that until a year ago could boast of a title – the Constructors – won and one lost with Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the previous season.
Sakhir’s race exposed all the shortcomings of the Black Bolt, born as a result of solving its progenitor’s problems, but instead revealed itself to be infected by the same evils. This brought the riders of the Brackley team immediately down to earth.
At the end of the race George Russell was direct and realistic. The W14 is slow: not only when compared with Mercedes’ initial expectations, but also when compared with Ferrari and the surprise Aston Martin which, as Lewis Hamilton said: “it’s half a W14, but it works”
“The only thing missing is performance, I don’t think there’s an alternative,” said Russell. “Obviously, the Aston Martins are probably the surprise and shock of the paddock. It is clear that our deficit against Red Bull and … is definitely too much.”
The return to reality was so hard that it led Russell to make a strong statement. The 2023 season has just begun, but if Mercedes could go back to fighting for victory by sacrificing this year, there would be no problem for the British driver. On the contrary.
“We are here to win. And of course we want to optimize every single result. But if you give me the choice between fighting and having the possibility to win races, anytime, and slow progress and never having that possibility, it is obvious that you will choose to achieve those victories.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14
Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
“So if we want to sacrifice some races or part of a season, to give us the chance to have a car that can fight, say, either in the second half of the season or even if it’s, you know, looking forward to next year, it’s maybe what we’ll have to do because clearly, we’re way behind.”
Second or seventh, for George, absolutely nothing changes. Another strong statement, but one that makes us understand the personality of a poised, educated boy, but extremely determined in what his job is, in what his ambitious goals are. And, at least at the moment, Mercedes is not satisfying them.
“Yes, as I said, we are here to fight for the championship, we are here to win. And, you know, nobody remembers who finishes second or third. And for me, personally, if I would have finished second in the drivers’ championship this year or seventh, it makes no difference.”
“I’m here to win. And I want to win championships. I want to win races. And, you know, that’s what every person in Mercedes wants to do, you know, second place is not enough. And if that’s what we want to do, if we need to make some drastic changes, to give ourselves a chance in the second half of the year, whatever it is, that’s what we’re going to do,” concluded Russell.
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