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Ex-F1 driver Mark Webber warned that the Mercedes team should not be written off, they can bounce back “at any point”.

Considering the fact that Mercedes have won the last eight Constructors’ Championships in succession, as well as seven Drivers’ titles in that time, it was quite the shock to see them off the pace at the start of the new regulatory era in 2022.

But with eight rounds of the season now gone, and Mercedes having made little consistent progress in bridging the gap to Red Bull and Ferrari, it is becoming harder to believe that a Mercedes resurgence is coming in the very near future.

However, Webber, who raced for Red Bull from 2007-2013, warned that to underestimate Mercedes and determine that they are no longer a threat at the top of the timings, would be a mistake.

“They’ve come off the back of an incredible run, world championship after world championship, now, they are struggling even to get podiums at this point,” Webber analysed as part of Channel 4’s coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where George Russell finished P3 and Lewis Hamilton P4 for Mercedes.

“Obviously it’s a big shift in their winning mentality mindset, it’s not happening for them, the car is clearly not performing under these