Since the 2022 Formula 1 regulatory changes, Mercedes has battled a steep decline in performance. Once the sport’s dominant force, the team that routinely topped both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships has struggled to find its footing. This struggle has intensified with their current model, the W15, which George Russell now labels as the team’s most inconsistent vehicle to date.
Russell’s Harsh Verdict on the W15
Ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, George Russell was candid in expressing his frustrations. He called the W15’s inconsistency unprecedented in Mercedes’ history, stating that unlike previous seasons, it’s the unpredictability that has become the car’s most significant flaw. “In 2022, the porpoising era was far more unpleasant because the car was bouncing constantly,” he shared. “But with the W15, you can push it to the limit and have a great lap, only to experience a drastic performance drop the next time, even without any setup changes.”
Russell’s remarks reveal the unique difficulty Mercedes faces this season: unlike the 2022 porpoising challenges, which made the car difficult to handle at high speeds, the W15’s issues stem from random laps of lost performance. This inconsistency has prevented both Russell and his teammate Lewis Hamilton from achieving the podium finishes that fans have come to expect from the team. As Russell described it, “this is probably the most inconsistent our performance has been as a team in probably forever.”
Mercedes’ Difficult Road Ahead
Russell also observed that the W15 might only be the “fourth fastest” car on the grid in 2024, falling short against top-tier teams like Red Bull and Ferrari. Though both Russell and Hamilton hold respectable positions in the World Drivers’ Championship (WDC) standings at fifth and sixth, they have frequently found themselves competing on the lower end of the top 10.
Mercedes’ challenges in 2024 are reminiscent of its early 2010s return to Formula 1, when the team faced similar performance issues with only Nico Rosberg securing a single win during that period. The W15’s struggle has drawn comparisons to those early seasons when the team was still finding its competitive edge.
The Road to Improvement
As the season progresses, Mercedes will need to address the W15’s unpredictability if it hopes to return to the top. Russell’s frustrations underline the urgent need for Mercedes to regain the consistency and speed that defined its era of dominance.
