Mercedes has finally changed how they tackle their F1 problems, and it might be exactly what they needed.
It’s hard to believe that Mercedes – once the most dominant team in F1 – hasn’t been in the title fight for three whole seasons now.
George Russell thinks he knows what went wrong. Speaking at London’s O2 Arena during the F1 75 Live event, he opened up about the team’s past mistakes.
“We were so focused on fixing what was right in front of us, we didn’t think about what new problems those fixes might create,” Russell explained. “It was like playing whack-a-mole – solve one issue, and another one pops up.”
But things are different now.
The team has completely changed their approach. Instead of just rushing to fix problems, they’re thinking several steps ahead.
“We’re being much more forward-thinking than before,” Russell said. This is especially important when they’re testing new parts in the wind tunnel or making big changes to how the car behaves on track.
The new strategy is all about asking the right questions. Before making any changes, the team now considers: What might this fix do to the car at different tracks? How will the drivers need to adapt? What new challenges might pop up?
It’s a more thorough approach that could help Mercedes avoid the trial-and-error cycle that’s held them back since F1 introduced the new ground effect cars in 2022.
The big question now is whether this new way of thinking will help Mercedes get back to winning races consistently. After three tough years, they’re certainly hoping so.
