F1 News: Pundit Delivers Damning Mercedes Prediction Amid Winless Streak
While Mercedes tries hard to develop a title contender worth winning over the winter break to help 39-year-old Lewis Hamilton win his record-breaking eighth championship title, Sky F1 Presenter Natalie Pinkham jokingly claimed that he will be driving until he is 50 as the outfit might have to wait for a change in regulations to be able to win.
Hamilton pulled off a six-championship winning streak with Mercedes from 2014 until 2021. But after that, the trend took a pause, courtesy of the ground effect era that came into effect from 2022, of which, Red Bull became a master.
Red Bull's aero expert Adrian Newey designed an unbeatable title contender, causing Max Verstappen to win championship titles from 2021 to 2023. The year also marked a winless season for Mercedes since 2011.
Certainly, the Brackley-based team secured a second-place finish in the Constructors' Championship and third in the Drivers' Standings. However, the W14 F1 car faced challenges in leading and winning races.
Acknowledging the misdirection in their car's development, the team opted to abandon its original concept in mid-2023 and pursue a design philosophy more aligned with Red Bull's RB19.
Pinkham thinks it could take another regulation change for Mercedes to win a championship. With the new regulations coming in 2026, it is still a long journey for Mercedes to cover. Speaking at the Autosport International Event, the Sky F1 presenter said:
“I think he’ll be driving until he’s 50. [she jokingly said]
“I hope it will happen. [Hamilton's eighth title win]
“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’, [but] he [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.”
Team principal Toto Wolff mentioned that Mercedes was bringing in an entirely new car for 2024 but, it remains to be seen if it can challenge Red Bull's upgraded RB20.
