‘A tall order’ - Worrying F1 2024 warning issued for Mercedes by former CEO
Mercedes could be in for another "difficult" F1 season i🍷n 2024, according to their former CEO.
Ex-Mercedes CEO Nick Fry is concerned that his former team is in for another “difficult” F1 season this year and belꦰieves they face aꩲ “tall order” to compete with Red Bull.
Following an unprecedented run of eight consecutive constructors’ championship during the V6 hybrid era, Mercedes have endu𝔉red two hugely difficult campaigns since ground effect ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚregulations were introduced in 2022.
Mercedes’ bold ‘zeropod’ approach failed to deliver, resulting in t💮he team abandoning the design early in 2023. After favouring a route that is more conventional, Mercedes are hoping to challenge Red Bull this season with their revamped 🌼W15 car.
But Fry is not convinced Mercedes can make the competitive step they🐟 are aiming for because they have “fallen so far behind by taking a different technical route”.
“I'm sorry to say this, but I don'tꦑ see the technical team as strong enough at my former team, Mercedes,” Fry told .
“Co🐼mpeting with Adrian Newey's team is a tall order. They're a great team of people,🐟 but they've fallen so far behind by taking a different technical route.
“The rate of improvement is significant year upon year, but spending a year or two with a different concept that d♎oesn't work✅ results in trouble.
“It's easy to say that in hindsight, bꦏut they're learning what the likes of Red Bull learned a long time ago. It's difficult to catch 🦋up.
“I'm sure they'll be good, but I'm n🥂ot sure if they'll be exceptional. I can't see Mercedes consistently beating Red Bull.
“It's hard for me to admit as I have such a deep attachment to them, but I think i♒t's going to be difficult this year.”
Fry 🥀instead reckons Ferrari are better placed t🐻o take the fight to Red Bull in 2024.
“I think Ferrari will continꦐue to improve,” he exp⛎lained.
“Fred🌊 Vasseur is very experienced as a team leader, and I think he'll provide the air cover from the pressures of the Italian media.
“⛄I t𒀰hink he'll do a good job with that and keep the team calm. You have to be fairly unemotional.
“Ferrari wouldജ be my favourites to pus🐓h Red Bull.”
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