Mercedes has been lagging behind Ferrari and Red Bull in the first two rounds of the 2022 Formula One season as it tries to solve the porpoising issue.
Follow Us
Toto Wolff claims Mercedes does not have a solution for the problems with its 2022 Formula One car in time for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Mercedes has been lagging behind Ferrari and Red Bull in the first two rounds of the 2022 Formula One season as it tries to solve the porpoising issue with its W13 challenger.
As part of the team’s bid to improve its competitiveness, the reigning world champions will introduce an all-new rear wing and possible floor changes as the first major car update of the season in Melbourne. When Formula One returns to a modified Albert Park for the first time in two years, team principal Wolff expects Mercedes to be playing catch-up.
Read More – Australian GP: Who are the current drivers with the most wins at Albert Park?
“We are in a learning race and the first two weekends have shown we still have plenty to learn,” Wolff said. “At the moment, our track performance is not meeting our own expectations, but everyone at Brackley and Brixworth is focused on understanding the problems and finding the right solutions. There won’t be a magic fix for the next race weekend, but we’re pushing to steadily bring gains over the up-coming races, to hopefully move us closer to the front of the pack,” the German added.
Wolff however said that until the problems are fixed, Mercedes will have to make the most out of the package they already have. “Until then, we need to maximise each opportunity and make the most of the package we have,” he said.
“So, there are various challenges ahead of us, but that’s something we relish and is when a team really shows its true spirit. Lewis and George are making an important contribution to the overall effort, providing feedback, spending time in the simulator and working together to help push us forward,” he added.
Read More – Haas news: Points finish in every race a realistic target, says Guenther Steiner
Former Formula One driver David Coulthard has backed George Russell to do well this season at Mercedes despite not having the best of starts on paper. The Silver Arrows have been hit hard by the FIA’s new technical regulations and they do not seem to have come to terms with them yet. Coulthard believes that Russell has done an exceptional job so far with the car that he has been given. The former F1 driver has also urged the young Brit to be the voice at Mercedes, alongside Lewis Hamilton, that helps the team eventually develop a championship contender challenger.
“He (Russell) was brilliant with Williams. It led to him being courted by Mercedes, as everyone knows,” Coulthard said. “But the honeymoon period when you can do no wrong changes quickly, particularly when there’s an expectation that, given the car you are driving, you should be in the top three.”
