Mercedes have faced a steep climb since Formula 1 introduced ground-effect regulations in 2022, with team principal Toto Wolff admitting they have struggled.
After dominating the sport with eight consecutive constructors’ championships from 2014 to 2021, driven by Lewis Hamilton’s six drivers’ titles, Mercedes have found themselves chasing podiums rather than victories.
The team’s troubles began with the W13 in 2022, which suffered from severe porpoising issues. The W14 in 2023 proved inconsistent, and the W15 failed to maintain competitive pace. Even the W16, in the 2025 season, has secured only one win, thanks to George Russell, after 14 races.
“I think we never excelled at managing those regulations,” Wolff said to Formula.hu, reflecting on their challenges. “From the beginning, we started on quite a back foot. Catching up to great competitors is very difficult.”
Mercedes’ early commitment to their innovative ‘zeropod’ design misfired, costing them time and resources as rivals like Red Bull and McLaren surged ahead.
The team’s wind tunnel data often failed to translate to on-track performance, leaving them scrambling to adapt. Despite these setbacks,
Wolff highlighted moments of brilliance. “We had highlights,” he said. “Last year, we killed it at Silverstone with Lewis’ last victory there, dominated in Spa, and were absolutely dominant in Las Vegas. This year, we showed pace in Montreal. At times, we had a winning car.”
With the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort looming on August 31, Mercedes are determined to close the gap. Wolff remains optimistic, emphasizing the need to deliver a consistently competitive car in the season’s second half.
“Now, we need to come back with a winning car,” he said, signaling their intent to fight back at the 4.259-kilometer circuit.
