Let's all just wait and see what Mercedes can deliver.
They have received more stick than any manufacturer I can think of, bar Toyota. Whatever the reasons for their official entry, or the conditions surrounding that, they have stood four square behind Brawn. They missed all targets, and have fallen flat on objectives.
Yet they retain a good following.
And in spite of the failures, we are seeing action. The worst thing as a fan of the team would have been to see no action taken.
It would be an easy option. But F1 is ever changing, and the need for results from Mercedes has cumulated in Mercedes now being a very different outfit from that 3 years ago.
It has been a painful watch at times. Though we are seeing paradigm shifts taking place, I'm not optimisitic for 2013.
We will see them behind the big 3, probably behind an exquisite Lotus outfit too. What I want to see from them is in season progress. No regression. Learning curves will be steep as the car will be nearly all new. This will put added pressure on the technical side to make said progress.
Indeed Hamilton's very presences will add pressure. But he knows what to expect, unlike Schumacher in 2009/10.
The Mercedes PR machine has been quiet, Hamilton looks chilled out, and it all seems very subdued. Almost expectant of a mediocre 2013.
Sure it would be amazing to have a 5th team mixing it this year but for me the indicators suggest Mercedes have an eye on 2014 which will be their biggest chance of success.
It could well be another long season, but if it pays off in 2009 fashion then I'm all for it.