Mercedes 2024 Chances

[Kautya]

RBR were probably hiding some pace or werent pushing hard to the limit so I expect them to have a decent buffer this year as well. Can probably see a McLaren vs Merc vs Ferrari battle for the best of the rest again for the first half. Might converge for some wins in the 2nd half of the season.

 

[GR63]

I wouldnt be surprised if positions 2-3-4 are jumbled twixt Merc-Ferr-Macca. I'd love for all of them to be genuinely in the battle for wins.

 

[jaybee]

I expect Max to win drivers, and the constructors being close due to poor Perez performances, but still Redbull at the end. Basically a complete repeat of last season, just the gap being a little bit closer to Redbull from the start. By the end of the season races will hopefully become even closer. Then going into the final year of this reg period, I expect it to be closer still, hopefully with all teams so focused on 2026, that they do one last push on the current car, and it brings them all quite close together hopefully giving us a proper title fight.

 

[KiNgPiN83]

I expect Max to win drivers, and the constructors being close due to poor Perez performances, but still Redbull at the end. Basically a complete repeat of last season, just the gap being a little bit closer to Redbull from the start. By the end of the season races will hopefully become even closer. Then going into the final year of this reg period, I expect it to be closer still, hopefully with all teams so focused on 2026, that they do one last push on the current car, and it brings them all quite close together hopefully giving us a proper title fight.

Same. I can see Perez falling into the Merc/Ferrari/Mclaren battle and they will all be taking points off of each other probably making Max's job easier.

 

[mushtafa]

My prediction is Merc won't be 2nd. I think McLaren have a very good chance this season to follow RB.
I'd also be very surprised if Perez keeps his seat all season too - but that will depend how close the second team are

 

[Scam]

I think McLaren have a very good chance this season to follow RB.

Zak Brown seems to be leading the charge on the whole RB/two teams thing. Makes me think they’re going to be challenging RB, or worse he thinks the RB2s/Minardi are going to come out and surprise everyone by being 3/4th in the field. He must have his reasons for raising it now.

McLaren urge FIA to act on key Red Bull relationship with 'wider interest' highlighted

McLaren have urged F1's governing body the FIA to act on a controversial Red Bull relationship for the good of the sport as concerns mount.

www.planetf1.com

 

[MassiveJim]

Zak Brown seems to be leading the charge on the whole RB/two teams thing. Makes me think they’re going to be challenging RB, or worse he thinks the RB2s/Minardi are going to come out and surprise everyone by being 3/4th in the field. He must have his reasons for raising it now.

McLaren urge FIA to act on key Red Bull relationship with 'wider interest' highlighted

McLaren have urged F1's governing body the FIA to act on a controversial Red Bull relationship for the good of the sport as concerns mount.

www.planetf1.com

I mean whether you like Zak Brown or not (he seems to be a bit of a winger), he has a valid point.
looking at the comments on that article though views seem to be split fairly evenly.

 

[Bald-Eagle22]

Well herewith go again , Looks like Mr Horner has gone all in and after only R2 of qualy im predicting a Max and Checo 1st and 2nd tomorrow .

Sack him at your peril Red Bull

 

[Irish_Tom]

Nope.

 

[Slam62]

Shame they need a real wake up call

 

[imtoooldforthis]

They have no chance until new regs in 2026. Same as every other team. This was pretty clear when they made no real gains last season.

A wake up call won’t help, you screw the first year of regulations up bigly in terms of car design and that’s it, you’re done for that era in terms of competing for titles. Yes Red Bull pulled it back in 2021 after a long grind but they never really had fundamental issues with the car/chasis… it was the poor engine that cost them during that era.

They should and most likely will sack off this era as a failure and go all in on 2026 unless some miracle occurs.

 

[cu3ed]

They have no chance until new regs in 2026. Same as every other team. This was pretty clear when they made no real gains last season.

A wake up call won’t help, you screw the first year of regulations up bigly in terms of car design and that’s it, you’re done for that era in terms of competing for titles. Yes Red Bull pulled it back in 2021 after a long grind but they never really had fundamental issues with the car/chasis… it was the poor engine that cost them during that era.

They should and most likely will sack off this era as a failure and go all in on 2026 unless some miracle occurs.

They would have had a chance if those spending rules didn't come in, RB had all the money they could want to work on the car for years, now the rest of the teams cant do much with the limited money they can spend.

 

[Slam62]

They have no chance until new regs in 2026. Same as every other team. This was pretty clear when they made no real gains last season.

A wake up call won’t help, you screw the first year of regulations up bigly in terms of car design and that’s it, you’re done for that era in terms of competing for titles. Yes Red Bull pulled it back in 2021 after a long grind but they never really had fundamental issues with the car/chasis… it was the poor engine that cost them during that era.

They should and most likely will sack off this era as a failure and go all in on 2026 unless some miracle occurs.

Agreed

 

[KiNgPiN83]

Well i guess their front wing won't get banned at least. I was clinging on to it being a double difuser/Frics(sp?!) moment to bring them back to the front with Redbull.

Watch Newey somehow put it on the Redbull and make it even faster...

 

[Mr Jack]

Russell claimed they were losing 0.5s a lap due to a cooling issue. Better pray that's true.

 

[Bug One]

Russell claimed they were losing 0.5s a lap due to a cooling issue. Better pray that's true.

Would they have been 0.2s slower with increased cooling though. Would be an improvement - but might compromise their qualifying position as a result.

It looks like Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are going to be very close this season.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

They have no chance until new regs in 2026. Same as every other team. This was pretty clear when they made no real gains last season.

A wake up call won’t help, you screw the first year of regulations up bigly in terms of car design and that’s it, you’re done for that era in terms of competing for titles. Yes Red Bull pulled it back in 2021 after a long grind but they never really had fundamental issues with the car/chasis… it was the poor engine that cost them during that era.

They should and most likely will sack off this era as a failure and go all in on 2026 unless some miracle occurs.

RB were also helped in 2021 by a minor rule change that slightly compromised Mercedes. Regardless, yes, it’s hard to see anything changing until 2026. RB are miles ahead and not only is Newey by far the best on the grid, the current design philosophy plays to his greatest strength, he wrote the book on ground effect.