Martin Brundle agrees with Christian Horner's indecisive Mercedes F1 strategy verdict

Martin Brundle and Christian Horner — Photo: © LAT Images

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Brundle agrees with Horner's indecisive Mercedes F1 strategy verdict

Mercedes have been questioned for their strategy during the United States Grand Prix

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 25 October 2023 14:57

Martin Brundle has shared the same view as Red Bull team principal Christian Horner over Mercedes' indecisive strategy during the United States Grand Prix.

Prior to being disqualified from the race, a delayed call from Mercedes to move to a two-strop strategy looked to have cost Lewis Hamilton a chance at competing with Max Verstappen for a race win.

After the grand prix, Horner stated that Mercedes were in 'no man's land', an opinion that is shared by Brundle.

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The Sky Sports commentator believes that the Silver Arrow's 'reluctance' to abandon a one-stop strategy cost them at the Circuit of the Americas.

Tyre degradation was higher than expected in Austin

Mercedes were somewhat slow to move towards a two-stop strategy

Something that Martin Brundle believes could have proved even more costly without Lewis Hamilton's disqualification

Brundle: Mercedes late on strategy change

"With high ambient and track temperatures, and along with the fast and bumpy nature of the track, it was quite the challenge for the cars and drivers," he wrote in his Sky Sports column.

"Tyre degradation in the main race was clearly higher than expected and a possible one-stop race became a clear two-stop strategy.

"However, Mercedes seemed reluctant to accept that and tried to eke out a longer first stint.

"They had to concede a few laps later which left them to an extent between strategies but nonetheless Hamilton and Russell had great speed in the last few laps, albeit with at least one of them running too low for the rules."