Motorsport Images

Martin Brundle claims Mercedes ‘not the force it once was’ after disappointing 2023 season

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Aditya Pandya | Last updated 12/23/23

Mercedes suffered from yet another disappointing end to the season as the Brackley failed to achieve any victories in the 2023 season. Despite Lewis Hamilton finishing P3 in the championship and a runner-up position for Mercedes in the constructors’ standings, the team did not perform at its A-game. F1 presenter Martin Brundle pondered over the long-lost winning pace of the Brackley in 2023.

Brundle claimed that Mercedes was undoubtedly not the same force it was back in its winning seasons. The Briton recalled the past two challengers from the Brackley and insisted that they did not get the car right in both years. Additionally, Martin Brundle mentioned the personnel changes in the team since its domination days.

I think there’s no doubt about it, Mercedes quite clearly are not the force they were, Because they didn’t get the 2022 car right and they didn’t fix it for 2023. And there has been a lot of personnel movement because they’re obviously very attractive people from the era of total domination that they had. Brundle told in a special column for Sky Sports F1.

In reference to Mercedes’ performance slump, Brundle asserted that this was common in other sports as well. A group of people cannot lose and score a few years of domination and then suddenly cannot win again according to the 64-year-old.

You see it in other sports, where a group of people seemingly just couldn’t lose, and then all of a sudden, they can’t win. It’s really odd, and all it needs is a couple or three pieces of the jigsaw puzzle changing one way or the other.

The 2024 F1 season to be crucial for Mercedes

However, as the Brackley shut its doors to the 2023 season, the team put forth optimism for the development of the following season. Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are confirmed to stay with the Silver Arrows till at least 2025. The two would be looking to make good progress with the team in 2024.

Martin Brundle applauded the Brackley outfit despite the winless stint in 2023. The Briton called Mercedes a “Mighty Team” due to its sheer history of dominance in the sport of Formula 1. However, Brundle also reckoned that the team needed to align their stars again to potentially compete with the front-runner Red Bull for a chance at the championship title.

The record 8th title for Lewis Hamilton or the maiden championship for George Russell remains as the driving force for Mercedes as they try to bounce back next season. As the winter break dawns over the Brackley, the team has already started working on the W15 and aims to take the fight to Red Bull in 2024.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: