Mercedes has already missed a first goal of the season: After the difficult year 2022, the former permanent world champions wanted to be at eye level at least with Ferrari, if not with Red Bull Racing. But in Bahrain’s form, Mercedes is only fourth force behind Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin and Ferrari.
The concept of Mercedes has long been questioned, even from team boss Toto Wolff there was self-criticism.
Lewis Hamilton usually puts himself in front of his team when times are tough, so what he had to say to BBC Radio 5 was all the more amazing: “In 2022 there were certain things I said to the team. I was talking about the quirks of last year’s car. I’ve driven so many cars in my life, I know what a racing car needs. And what he doesn’t need.”
“It’s about responsibility. It’s about someone standing up and saying – you know that? We didn’t listen to you. We’re not where we want to be and we have a lot of work to do.”
“We have to look at the balance of the car, we have to look at all the weak points, we have to come together as a team.”
“We are multiple world champions. We just didn’t get it together this time. And neither did last year. But things can still change.”
Bahrain-GP, Bahrain International Circuit
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:33:56,736 h
02. Sergio Perez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +11.987 sec
03. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +38,637
04. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, +48,052
05. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +50,977
06. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +54,502
07. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +55,873
08. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo, +1:12,647 min
09. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +1:13,753
10. Alex Albon (T), Williams, +1:29,774
11. Yuki Tsunoda (J), AlphaTauri, +1:30,870
12. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, +1 Runde
13. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +1 Round
14. Nyck de Vries (NL), AlphaTauri, +1 Runde
15. Nico Hulkenberg (D), Haas, +1 lap
16. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Alfa Romeo, +1 Runde
17. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +2 laps
Out
Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, submission
Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, engine failure
Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, electrical damage
Championship standings (after 1 of 23 races)
driver
01. Verstappen 25 points
02. Pérez 18
03. Alonso 15
04. Sainz 12
05. Hamilton 10
06. Stroll 8
07. Russell 6
08. Bottas 4
09. Gasly 2
10. Albon 1
11.Tsunoda 0
12. Sargeant 0
13. Magnussen 0
14. De Vries 0
15. Hulkenberg 0
16. Zhou 0
17. Norris 0
18. Ocon 0
19. Leclerc 0
20. Plates 0
Constructors’ Cup
01. Red Bull Racing 43 Punkte
02. Aston Martin 23
03. Mercedes-Benz 16
04. Ferrari 12
05. Alfa Romeo 4
06. Alpine 2
07. Williams 1
08. Alpha Tauri 0
09. Haas 0
10. McLaren 0