PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑30 May 2022, 20:12
Chris I know you are a new Mercedes fan but we are very used to a winning car. Even the scraps of a lucky podium is not something to trigger jubilance.
Poles and wins anything else doesn't exist. So far the season hasn't started.
Red Bull fan here
I was talking about the difference between the two drivers in the team. One seems to have got to grips with the car and can get into some decent places, one seems to be struggling a little bit more.
Nobody can deny Mercedes dominated the turbo/hybrid era up until the last season where there was some competition on the table. I think the cracks started to show then, with a new era of regulations, Mercedes haven't just got to grips fully with their car yet. Even given we are now 7 GPs and 2 testing events in, I'd have expected a top team like Mercedes to have a grip on the problems. Maybe this is a testimony to RB and Ferrari who both have aerodynamicists who have worked in the Ground Effect era and studied cars throughout the GE era. Newey being a prime example.
I dont even think Ferrari have got a full grip on the porpoising yet as still evident in some scenarios, whilst the RB looks rock solid with the very slight hint of bouncing.
I think Mercedes have to take it how it is really, especially the constructors titles they have had. 8 in a row. They, and the fans, might just have to accept its time to pass the baton, at least for this season. Unless they can massively turn the car round, it is still a mountain to climb against Ferrari and Red Bull to even get near. (it would need multiple non finishes for both teams to allow Merc to catch up IMHO).
I think the next race or 2, possibly 3, are going to be absolutely pivotal to Mercedes. Either the car, and its improvements they brought to Spain are going to work and give the team a better setup window, or they are going to be back to square 1. (maybe Monaco was the start of that with a new area of bouncing from the front axle)
Id love to see them giving the top 2 teams a 3 horse (6 car) race/challenge. But I also think they need to be very wary of those from behind with teams bringing upgrades or getting the car setup right.
I think Lewis is struggling this season aswell and probably losing a bit of interest in it (despite his claims), he simply isn't/has been used to battling in the midfield where the action is generally a lot more spicy and drivers are a lot more hungry for position. I think that showed in interviews in Spain when questioned he looks a lot more happy when the car was working better. Lewis is a driver that's used to being 5-10seconds out in front and having a comfortable car that's got a lot more pace than anyone else, probably only needing to drive it at 90% in order to keep position. Now the car is needing 100-110% to battle for positions and I dont think he's used to that. George has always been used to a 'weaker' car and having to give it everything to get places on the grid. Which is why I think he's getting better results at the minute. George has a huge career ahead of him so needs to make sure he's getting results. I wonder what would be the thoughts at Mercedes HQ if the positions were reversed and it was George at the lower end of midfield.
Here's hoping they can get the car competitive, however, as I've mentioned prior in the W13 thread, I think this car design is flawed in terms of how the airflow goes over the car. Isn't it Williams who also have a very packaged setup with mid/low side pods and a tightly packaged rear engine cover? That's another car that's been struggling massively in a lot of the races with the occasional result where the teams scored points. (I wonder if there's any relationship between the good races at Merc and those at Williams given the cars bodywork at the rear)
The other side of it is have Merc lost some vital talent to other teams on the grid. I don't know the exact mixture of staff that left to join rival teams, but I'm sure it would have some consequences down the line and this could just be the tip of the iceberg.
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