Wolff urged to “copy” Red Bull concept: “Build a Plan B for what? Silverstone?”
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were never competitive with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen over the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend and, even before the first race of 2023, Wolff conceded his team would re-think their concept after their star driver criticised it.
Lagging behind even Aston Martin, their customer team who have a Mercedes power unit, condemned Wolff to call Bahrain his “worst racing day”.
Kravitz said on Sky afterwards: “Why is it, then, that Toto calls it his worst day?
“I think the reality has struck. They know where they are. No more messing about. No more talking about engine modes or fuel levels.
“This car has not worked. They gave it one more chance. Already, Toto is calling it a day after one race!
“Does he not want, like Christian Horner, to take a sample of two or three [races]? No, he doesn’t.”
Kravitz focused on a comment from Wolff about a planned upgrade for the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, the sixth race of the season: “What I thought was key was the three tenths. The Imola upgrade was only going to be worth three tenths. What? I thought this Imola upgrade for Mercedes was going to solve all their problems!”
Naomi Schiff said: “They were sixth tenths behind in qualifying so they will need more than three tenths to get to the front.”
Kravitz continued: “Totto is right. What are they going to do, stop the Imola upgrade? It’s already in production.
“The cost cap is key. Lewis said they can’t do a Plan B because they can’t under the cost cap.
“But Toto is now tasking his technical people with precisely that - to build a Plan B car for what? Silverstone?”
Hamilton criticised the concept of the W14 after the first practice day of 2023, a grave concern shared early. A day later after qualifying, Wolff conceded that the concept would change.
But Kravitz insists they are already moving onto a third idea: “Mercedes changed their concept over the winter. Their concept last year was to get the car as low as possible. Then they had the dreaded porpoising so the whole of 2022 was written off.
“They changed concept: ‘Let’s run the car up a bit, let’s keep the sidepods because we think aerodynamically they are good’.
“This concept hasn’t worked. So they are going to concept three! The third concept in two-and-a-half years!
“That is essentially to do what Aston Martin have done. Toto is clear: ‘There is nothing wrong with our power unit, there is nothing wrong with our rear suspension, there is nothing wrong with the gear box’.
“All of which are on the Aston. Look at the Aston, it’s a Red Bull copy! More or less. That’s what Mercedes will have to do.
“If you’re a designer at Mercedes, how will you feel?”
Schiff added: “How will they feel after Toto says it’s the worst day at Mercedes?”
Hamilton was overtaken by Fernando Alonso, on his Aston Martin debut, with the Spaniard claiming a podium finish which, in turn, knocked Mercedes even further down the pecking order.
The peerless Verstappen cruised to victory from pole position, and teammate Sergio Perez was P2.
