Mercedes chief addresses 'disorientating' dip in form

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Mercedes chief addresses 'disorientating' dip in form

Mercedes technical director James Allison shares his thoughts on the shift from dominance

Anna Malyon

Sunday 10 December 2023 11:04

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Mercedes technical director James Allison has revealed he struggled to come to terms with the transformation of the Mercedes car, shifting from success to a challenging phase, describing it as "very disorientating."

Mercedes most recent victory was secured by George Russell at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2022. Prior to that was Lewis Hamilton's last win in Saudi Arabia back in the 2021 season.

While the Silver Arrows secured second place in the constructors' championship in the 2023 Formula 1 season, their performances presented a stark contrast to their previous dominant spells.

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From 2014 to 2021, Mercedes clinched eight consecutive constructors' championships, marking an era of dominance that came to an end with Red Bull's ascendancy. Allison described this shift as "unpleasant," impacting the confidence of the Mercedes team.

“When a team has been, as we were, on a very high plateau for quite a large number of years, for quite a long period of time, and then takes a dip, it’s very disorientating,” Allison told the Performance People podcast.

“It’s very unpleasant to suddenly feel that what you had previously felt about yourselves as a group, the foundations of that have been loosened by the reality of the stopwatch and being beaten by other teams.

“It shakes the confidence of an organisation, and it also puts a lot of very short-term pressures on a company that’s been used to thinking further ahead.”

Mercedes technical director James Allison has shared his beliefs on the Mercedes shift

George Russell secured Mercedes' last win at the Brazilian GP in 2022

Mercedes finished second in the constructors' championship in the 2023 F1 season

Mercedes future

After the end of the 2023 F1 season, the majority of the Mercedes team emphasised that the focus now shifted to future developments.

Allison also discussed the future of Mercedes, expressing his eagerness to witness the team's resurgence and return to championship contention after the challenges of the past two years.

“I hope that we have put in place enough of a programme of work that we have put ourselves in with a shout to be back to winning ways,” Allison added.

“Does that mean winning a race? Does that mean winning a championship? In my head, it’s only ever about championships.

“That’s what F1 is. It’s a constructors’ and a drivers’ championship. So, I hope we will have done enough to give ourselves a shout of being in the championship fight in both championships.”

While Mercedes members, including Hamilton, have voiced uncertainty about their ability to compete with Red Bull next season, the team at Brackley is hopeful for a positive shift in the 2024 season.