Mercedes Fans Urge Team To Break Cost Cap: "Barely Punished"

F1 fans have been calling out Mercedes over word of them already turning their focus to 2024 after struggles with the W14 at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with some even urging the team to break the cost cap.

There has been a lot of negativity coming from the Mercedes team since the season-opening race as they are continuing to have issues with the W14. The team had a tumultuous 2022 season with the W13 cars which they were keen to put behind them. However, it seems they have carried some of the problems with them to this season.

George Russell has said he is willing to sacrifice some of the 2023 to be able to be in the right position for the 2024 season, which some fans feel is a premature approach with them only being one race down out of 23 in the season.

One of the biggest situations to take over headlines in 2022 was Red Bull exceeding the cost cap during the 2021 season. The Austrian team were eventually handed a penalty consisting of a $7 million fine and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time for the 2023 season. The uproar that followed was huge with many arguing that $7 million to one of the top affluent teams is nothing if they do not lose championship points.

In light of this, some fans are now calling for Mercedes to break the cost cap and take the $7 million hit to get themselves into a strong position for the current season. One fan wrote:

"I don't understand why Mercedes would sacrifice this season to develop for 2024. Why not simply spend more than the cost cap this season to catch up and then deal with the small loss of wind tunnel time towards the end of 2025"

Another fan wrote:

"At this point Mercedes should just breach the cost cap and bring back the W11. seems like the only way to be at the front is to have an illegal car"

at this point mercedes should just breach the cost cap and bring back the w11.

seems like the only way to be at the front is to have an illegal car 🤷🏻‍♀️
— chloe⁴⁴ ⸆⸉ (@chloeteamlh) March 6, 2023

Someone else commented:

"Go on breach the cost cap by 10M and let's see where Mercedes ends. Lemme remind you that team was carried by engines for 8 years" [sic]

Another fan commented:

"Why can't Mercedes just breach the cost cap? It's barely punished anyway"

Why can't Mercedes just breach the cost cap? It's barely punished anyway
— mart 🐐 (@fortyfourza) March 6, 2023