Former Ferrari engineer calls Mercedes 'silent assassins'

Sam Cook
Monday 4 September 2023 16:57

Former Ferrari engineer Ernest Knoors has said that Mercedes are 'silent assassins' who somehow just appear up the order in races.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton came home to take fifth and sixth for the team at the Italian Grand Prix, strengthening their position in second in the constructors' world championship, despite a clear lack of race pace.

Russell's phenomenal qualifying lap on Saturday put him up onto the second row, in with a chance of a podium at Monza.

But, from the start of the race it became clear that both Red Bull and Ferrari were far superior to the Mercedes, as Max Verstappen came home to take a record tenth consecutive Formula 1 race victory.

READ MORE: Final F1 2023 Italian Grand Prix results with all penalties applied

Still, Mercedes' solid showing was the latest in a long line of consistent performances which have seen them put themselves into second in the championship standings.

Now, speaking to Viaplay after the race, Knoors has praised the team for their ability to maximise the performance of the car.

"I think they are the silent assassins of Formula 1, in a good sense. You don't expect them, and in the end they're both back [up] there, and on different strategies with good racing they make it to fifth and sixth, and you do see that when you start looking at the Constructors' World Championship rankings."

Smiles at Mercedes

Despite not being happy with the performance of their car, Mercedes will afford themselves a little praise, given the fact they have clearly outperformed what the car was capable of this weekend.

They came into the weekend on a high having secured the future of both of their drivers until the end of 2025.

For them, it is all about building for next season and trying to give seven-time world champion Hamilton a car in which he may be able to challenge once more for the top prize.

For now, they will just be hoping that they get the chance to win at least one race this season, having not failed to win a single race in a season since 2011.

READ MORE: Toto Wolff: Net worth, wife and career profile of Mercedes giant