2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[ClarkBT11]

Not surprising. A big chunk of the resources will be for 2026 and there is no reall championship push for 2025... As yet.

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

Is that a opinion or a fact. Can both teams afford to bring updates in the remaining races?
If any team had their concept on point wouldn't it be a rocket ship at this present time.
Logically to me I cant see who would be favourite for next season.

[DGP123]

It will be antonelli and russell at Merc next year

Antonelli is to be announced at the Italian GP

[r85]

Not surprising. A big chunk of the resources will be for 2026 and there is no reall championship push for 2025... As yet.

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

They developed the RB19 for only half a season last year to focus on the RB20 and look how that has turned out. Red Bull might not even have a development ceiling as high as McLaren or Mercedes, but that's something we'll know at the end of the season.

[PlatinumZealot]

Not surprising. A big chunk of the resources will be for 2026 and there is no reall championship push for 2025... As yet.

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

They developed the RB19 for only half a season last year to focus on the RB20 and look how that has turned out. Red Bull might not even have a development ceiling as high as McLaren or Mercedes, but that's something we'll know at the end of the season.

Remeber the RB20 was a radical change. The RB21 will be evolution with solutions from other teams.

[Hammerfist]

Not surprising. A big chunk of the resources will be for 2026 and there is no reall championship push for 2025... As yet.

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

They developed the RB19 for only half a season last year to focus on the RB20 and look how that has turned out. Red Bull might not even have a development ceiling as high as McLaren or Mercedes, but that's something we'll know at the end of the season.

I think rhe top teams are all close to the ceiling. When they try to add downforce they run into balance and porpoising issues. So i feel the top 4 teams will be very close next year and noone will be able to dominate and run away. The driver quality will be even more important. Should make for an exciting championship.

[Chuckjr]

Not surprising. A big chunk of the resources will be for 2026 and there is no reall championship push for 2025... As yet.

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

They developed the RB19 for only half a season last year to focus on the RB20 and look how that has turned out. Red Bull might not even have a development ceiling as high as McLaren or Mercedes, but that's something we'll know at the end of the season.

I think rhe top teams are all close to the ceiling. When they try to add downforce they run into balance and porpoising issues. So i feel the top 4 teams will be very close next year and noone will be able to dominate and run away. The driver quality will be even more important. Should make for an exciting championship.

Agree. Next year will be epic.

[PlatinumZealot]

Without Lewis to push him I wonder if George will get better or worse? Will he put on his blinkers and focus too much on young start antonelli? Or even worse underestimate him? So intriguing.

[Dunlay]

Without Lewis to push him I wonder if George will get better or worse? Will he put on his blinkers and focus too much on young start antonelli? Or even worse underestimate him? So intriguing.

What happened to Lewis after Alonso left McLaren or to Lewis after Nico left Mercedes or to Max after Daniel left Red Bull? Regardless of the team mate, driver will always have a target in front of him to chase. Sometimes it becomes easy to perform "better" once that team mate leaves as everything then revoles around this driver. 2025 car will be more tuned to George. So he might be better without the Lewis pressure and with a car that is built for him. George has won championships in the junior categories. So he should be able to continue his upward trajectory. There will be times when Antonelli might once in a while get better of George. Regardless of Antonelli's talent, he needs experience to outperform George consistently and that would take time.

[basti313]

They developed the RB19 for only half a season last year to focus on the RB20 and look how that has turned out.

Well, there are two points:
- If they saved some R&D budget on the car, they could have spend more on the operational aspects. Crew, pitstops, tools....all this also costs a lot of money and might benefit them in the future.
- They obviously lost some correlation and especially the chassis is giving issues if you settle too long on a too good platform. I think this is quite similar to Merc with the 2020 rocket ship. After this they had issues with mechanical grip and with their upgrades till mid season 21.

Without Lewis to push him I wonder if George will get better or worse? Will he put on his blinkers and focus too much on young start antonelli? Or even worse underestimate him? So intriguing.

Yep, definitely interesting. At the beginning of this season I said that Lewis does not matter. Anyways nothing to win in 25. Now they are in the middle of the game and if Kimi is not up to speed immediately this will cost them. No matter if George is in the game or not, having no Nr2 up front will be bad.

[Lasssept]

f1-insider

Max Verstappen and Mercedes: the saga continues.

Confidential, open and regular contact is already taking place between the Verstappens, Toto Wolff, and Mercedes group boss Ola Källenius.

The Verstappen clan wants to observe Mercedes' upward curve, particularly in 2025, and then compare the performance and trend with Red Bull. If Red Bull stagnates or falls and Mercedes continues to evolve, the decision will already be made.

This plan would see Mercedes announce the Antonelli-Russell driver pairing for 2025 at Monza and secure a seat for Verstappen for 2026.

https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-verstap ... 026-64256/

[Luscion]

f1-insider

Max Verstappen and Mercedes: the saga continues.

Confidential, open and regular contact is already taking place between the Verstappens, Toto Wolff, and Mercedes group boss Ola Källenius.

The Verstappen clan wants to observe Mercedes' upward curve, particularly in 2025, and then compare the performance and trend with Red Bull. If Red Bull stagnates or falls and Mercedes continues to evolve, the decision will already be made.

This plan would see Mercedes announce the Antonelli-Russell driver pairing for 2025 at Monza and secure a seat for Verstappen for 2026.

https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-verstap ... 026-64256/

how reliable is this info? If true though it would suck for Russell, only 4 years at Merc and would already be getting the boot, iirc he's also on a 1 + 1 contract like Lewis so this could very well happen,i guess his best bet would be to go to Red Bull with Max gone and Perez most likely not making it to 2026 there

[AR3-GP]

how reliable is this info?

Ralf Bach hates Red Bull and Christian Horner.

[Luscion]

how reliable is this info?

Ralf Bach hates Red Bull and Christian Horner.

so unreliable, gotcha

[Dunlay]

f1-insider

Max Verstappen and Mercedes: the saga continues.

Confidential, open and regular contact is already taking place between the Verstappens, Toto Wolff, and Mercedes group boss Ola Källenius.

The Verstappen clan wants to observe Mercedes' upward curve, particularly in 2025, and then compare the performance and trend with Red Bull. If Red Bull stagnates or falls and Mercedes continues to evolve, the decision will already be made.

This plan would see Mercedes announce the Antonelli-Russell driver pairing for 2025 at Monza and secure a seat for Verstappen for 2026.

https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-verstap ... 026-64256/

how reliable is this info? If true though it would suck for Russell, only 4 years at Merc and would already be getting the boot, iirc he's also on a 1 + 1 contract like Lewis so this could very well happen,i guess his best bet would be to go to Red Bull with Max gone and Perez most likely not making it to 2026 there

I doubt these guys have any practical logistics to get factual news from anywhere. f1-insider has been cooking news throughout the Horner gate and that seems like modus operandi for them. Use a known piece of ongoing and stuff in some imagination and churn out click baits.

[Cocles]

If Mercedes are strong by 75% of the season and RedBull is stil bringing upgrades that means the 2025 championship fight is on.... If RedBull stop bringing upgrades by then that means they have a rocketship for 2025 and no one will challenge them.

Or it means Red Bull have hit their budget cap for further developing the RB20. Merc have had fewer cars to rebuild this season than RB.