James Allison explains why Mercedes must start 2024 from a place of strength, with a major F1 regulation change only two years away.
It doesn’t take a technical expert to explain the importance of this year for Mercedes. After two frustrating years of Red Bull dominance, time is running out for the Silver Arrows.
With new aerodynamic and engine regulations incoming, the window of opportunity is closing. Alongside it, the margin of error for Toto Wolff’s team is increasingly shrinking.
Even with a strong winter of development, the German outfit could find itself a few steps behind Red Bull. Such was the extent of the RB19’s dominance, which was unmatched even with a limited number of upgrades.
However, another hiccup over winter could doom Mercedes for both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. This is true both for their Championship aspirations and also their progress relative to the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.
James Allison recognises this urgency, explaining the importance of starting on the front foot:
“It’s a new season, and we have to make sure you get out of the starting blocks well,” motorsport-total quotes him as saying.
“The car will be completely new, and it is doubly important that the vehicle is good for 2024.
“The new rules for 2026 are slowly casting their shadow on us, and we have to build the corresponding car as early as 2025. The car from 2025 will, therefore, be closely related.”
In some ways, the last twelve months have been entirely dedicated to starting the 2024 season from a place of strength.
Mercedes recognised almost immediately that last year would primarily consist of damage limitation. Red Bull’s advantage would never be eliminated in one season, especially considering the W14’s slow start.
Looking ahead to the first round in Bahrain, a drastically changed car can be expected from Brackley.
The alterations to the W14’s “zeropod” concept last season were only the first step. A more comprehensive series of innovations will be introduced in pursuit of the team’s new direction.
However, whether this produces the desired results for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is another matter entirely.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
