Mercedes tipped to ‘mix it’ with Red Bull and Ferrari at French Grand Prix

Mercedes have the opportunity to be “in the mix” with Red Bull and Ferrari this weekend at the French Grand Prix, according to former F1 driver Anthony Davidson.

After a tough start to the season caused by porposing and bouncing in their 2022 car, Mercedes have earned podiums in the last four races with Lewis Hamilton securing three and George Russell one - but are yet to achieve a win.

Toto Wolff’s team are still third in the Constructors’ Championship, 122 points behind Red Bull and 66 behind Ferrari, but Davidson believes the high-speed nature of Circuit Paul Ricard will offer Mercedes a good opportunity to get their W13 in its “happy place.”

“It’s definitely a long shot, but I think if there’s any circuit you could choose from this season, it would have been Silverstone and Paul Ricard, where Mercedes would have a chance to mix it with the top two teams - Red Bull and Ferrari - on genuine pace,” Davidson told Sky Sports News.

“Coming off the back of Austria, where they had a good solid race - unfortunately qualifying didn’t really go their way with both cars crashing out - but the pace looked pretty good. Not on the same level as Red Bull and Ferrari, but traditionally that’s been quite a weak circuit for them.

“Bearing in mind what we saw at Silverstone, really strong race pace there, Paul Ricard - a nice smooth circuit which should suit the car, high grip situation as well, high degradation on the tyres, all of these elements coming together for Mercedes should mean, by rights, that the car should be in its happy place.”

Davidson also made note of how Hamilton seems to have re-discovered his touch this season and is “getting into his stride” after third-placed finishes in Montreal, Silverstone and Spielberg -