Mercedes isn’t getting carried away by the progress it enjoyed in the latter part of 2022 and the team is determined to maintain a degree of scepticism as it heads into 2023.
The Brackley squad saved itself from a humiliating winless season in the nick of time thanks to George Russell's victory in the penultimate round of the season in Brazil.
The achievement, along with Mercedes’ improved form in the back half of the season, certainly underlined the team’s progress in unraveling the mysteries of its complex and once bouncing W13 silver arrow.
But despite their car’s undeniable gains, Mercedes’ engineers won’t be heading into 2023 bristling with confidence or convinced that they will revive the dominant form that allowed their team to conquer eight consecutive Constructors’ titles.
©Mercedes
As far as Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott is concerned, the proof regarding the quality of next year’s W14 silver arrow will be in the pudding, or rather on the track.
Until then, a fair degree of “scepticism” is advised insists Elliott.
“I think the interesting thing is how we move forward from here and I think we’ve got to maintain that scepticism and be honest with ourselves that we were behind at the end of the year,” said the Mercedes tech boss in an end-of-season video posted on the team’s YouTube channel.
“While I think that we’ve made good progress through the year and I am really pleased with the culture I have seen, I am really pleased with the attitude, putting every effort into moving us forward, we will only see the return on that next year.”
During its dominant era, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff often warned his team about slipping into complacency mode and taking its hegemony for granted.
Now, in the wake of an extraordinarily challenging season, Wolff is even more inclined to remind his troops that there is no sense of entitlement at Mercedes.
“For me the perspective or the planning is not about the short-term, it’s not about a race, even a season or two or five,” Wolff explained, sitting alongside Elliott.
“It’s about I would like this team to constantly develop to be chasing for race victories and championships every single year but not taking it for granted, not having any sense of entitlement and if I hear us talking it almost sounds like the complete disaster of all seasons.
“It felt like it and I think this is the right feeling. But we finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, we were very close to Ferrari, we won a race, we had 10 plus podiums.
“Whatever happens at the beginning of next season it’s going to be another building block for the success of this team. We are trying to be as transparent as we can.”
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