F1 News: Mercedes Doesn't Have A Chance Of Winning Until 2026 According To F1 Pundit
Sky F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham is of the opinion that Mercedes does not have a chance of winning a championship again until 2026 when Formula 1 goes through an era of regulation change.
From the start of the ground effect era in 2022, Red Bull has been at the forefront of Formula 1, with driver Max Verstappen clinching three consecutive championships. The Milton Keynes outfit successfully halted Mercedes's era of dominance, thanks to the impact of a regulation change.
Despite Mercedes claiming that it is working on an entirely new car for this year over the winter break to help Lewis Hamilton win his eighth championship title, Pinkham feels that only a regulation change can help the team win a championship.
Here's what she told The Express at the Autosport International Show:
“I hope it will happen [Mercedes winning a championship].
“The trouble is: I think that Mercedes have been a bit on the back foot with changing the direction of their concept.
“And, I think it takes a regulation change, maybe, for them to come back to the fore.
“But look - we say ‘well, they were miles off…’
“[Hamilton] still finished third in the championship and Mercedes finished second. So not necessarily as far off.
“But they just didn’t look like challenging for a win in 2023.”
The highly anticipated car from Mercedes for the ground effect era, the W15, is scheduled for launch on February 14 at Silverstone. However, the question remains whether Hamilton can end his two-year winless streak and secure a Grand Prix victory this year.
Mercedes's most recent triumph was in 2022 when George Russell secured victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix. With both drivers committed to the Brackley team until the conclusion of 2025, Mercedes is facing the challenge of providing them with a competitive car capable of winning races, if not contending for the championship.
