When Formula 1 drives another race in Melbourne on Sunday, a lot has changed since the last Australian Grand Prix three years ago. The Albert Park Circuit has received a facelift: seven corners have been modified and two have been eliminated entirely. The intention is the same as with the aerodynamic rules that have been in force since this year – the race should offer more overtaking manoeuvres.
The position of Mercedes has also changed since 2019: the industry leader has lost its dominance. While Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were still able to celebrate third and fourth place at the start in Bahrain, also because of the late Red Bull failures, most recently in Jeddah they only looked out for places five (Russell) and tenth. “At the moment our performance does not meet our expectations,” says Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. It is now a question of mentality. “It’s in situations like this that the true spirit of a team shows.” Even though the “Silver Arrows” are second in the Constructors’ Championship, when it comes to the power on the track, they are currently only the third force in the field behind surprise team Ferrari and World Championship rival Red Bull. “We were right in the middle of it for eight years. It’s extremely painful not to be a part of it anymore – and that with quite a bit of time behind us,” says Wolff.
Source: Nachrichten
