Ferrari's Marc Gene reveals prediction for Mercedes' return to top step of podium

Ferrari ambassador and former Formula 1 driver Marc Gene has said that he feels as though we could see Mercedes challenging for Grand Prix victories once the Spanish Grand Prix has arrived.

The Silver Arrows have struggled to challenge right at the front this season so far, and instead have had to be content with picking up the pieces from others’ misfortune.

They’ve been good at that, though, and that is underlined by George Russell sitting in second place in the Drivers’ standings at the moment, with him on the podium last time out at the Australian Grand Prix.

Both he and Lewis Hamilton want to be earning race victories, though, and Gene feels that by the Spanish Grand Prix, which is after the race at Imola this weekend and the one in Miami at the start of May, we may start to see progress being made by the Mercs towards that aim.

“I can see it, but I can’t see it in the short term,” he told Sky Sports. “Unless it’s a set-up issue. If it’s a set-up issue they could find it at some point very quickly.

“If it’s a problem of bringing development parts, it’s very hard for Imola for example. I think for them it’s going to be more Barcelona. Barcelona could be a place where big updates are being brought in and that’s when I expect Mercedes to make a big step and challenge for wins.”

What the state of play is by Spain remains to be seen, of course, as there is every chance Charles Leclerc wins both races in the meantime, or Max Verstappen roars back after another reliability issue in Melbourne.

Mercedes are working hard, of course, but their competitors are eager to keep their advantage and so they’ll be working just as hard on their own development programmes.