Mercedes

Mercedes could take a YEAR to challenge Red Bull again claims Vowles

Mercedes opted to ditch zero sidepods concept at the start of the season in bid to catch Red Bull

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 15 July 2023 19:27

James Vowles believes Mercedes could take up to a year to get back on track as a title challenging team after going down the wrong direction in development.

The Silver Arrows won the constructors’ championship for eight consecutive years up until the year 2021 but following a new set of rules and regulations starting last year have dropped far behind dominant rivals Red Bull.

Since then a move to zero sidepods has seen them struggle to restore their former glory and the team ditched the approach at the start of the season leaving them to play catch up.

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Although they remain near the front of the grid, the team have won just one race since the back end of the 2021 season, with George Russell triumphing in Brazil late last term.

James Vowles left Mercedes at the end of 2022 to join the Williams team

Wrong direction

Vowles, who is now team principal at Williams, was part of the key backroom staff before leaving at the end of last season and admits the team are a year behind in development, but backed them to make a return to the very front.

"The gap has narrowed compared to what happened before. It will just take time for this to take place," Vowles told L’Equipe.

“I think Mercedes lost a year of development, while I was there simply because the direction they took was very different from that of the rest of the peloton. As you can see today.

“And sometimes, you have to believe in what you do. That's what they're doing now. It must be understood that we are not taking the right direction.

“But this year has not been erased. We can't get rid of it in the space of a week. What you will see is that they will start slowly, I am sure, to learn about the package and how to develop it because it is an incredible organisation.

“They will return to the forefront, but I think it will take them another six or twelve months to be able to do it.”