Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says his team’s difficult start to the season feels “a little bit like” 2013 when they last failed to win a Formula 1 title.
The German manufacturer has made its worst start to a campaign in the V6 hybrid era, despite seeing both of its cars finish in the points at the opening two races.
F1’s major rule changes for 2022 have left Mercedes on the back foot, with the team’s ongoing porpoising issues leaving it fighting to stay on terms with current pacesetters Ferrari and Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton’s failure to reach Q2 for the first time since Brazil 2017 in Jeddah only compounded Mercedes’ struggles, and Wolff said the team’s current situation reminds him of the its most recent non-championship winning season.
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“I love competition and I’ve always loved competition,” said Wolff, as quoted by Race Fans. “We had a really strong run of eight years where we were leading the pack, not always, but we kind of managed our way into the lead.
“This time for me feels a little bit like 2013, where we just weren’t up to the speed with the Red Bull and probably also not with the Ferraris but we kept fighting. This is how I feel at the moment.”
Mercedes suffered with severe tyre graining during the first quarter of 2013 that left it vulnerable over a race distance, with its drivers often slipping down the order after showing promising one-lap pace.
It soon got on top of the problem and would go on to finish second in the constructors’ championship behind runaway champions Red Bull, before its run of dominance began in 2014.
Wolff is determined to see Mercedes make vast improvements on track, urging the team to turned around its “unacceptable”
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