Mercedes AMG’s Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, is of the opinion that Mercedes’s chance to retain their Championship title might come to an end until they recover hastily. The veteran Engineer thinks the Silverstone-based team needs to pull up their game in order to keep Red Bull at bay from the title.
Mercedes AMG has been on their top game for the last few years, miles ahead of their opponents when it comes to the Championship battle. However, things are different this year with Red Bull maneuvering significant improvements. Further, they are breathing at the neck of Mercedes, for acquiring the title.
💜 1-1 🧡 Next up, Portugal! pic.twitter.com/FrYQSo4Wh0
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 19, 2021
The 47-year-old British Engineer while talking to the Media, conveyed, “They will win this championship if we don’t improve our car very quickly. That’s really our mindset – that we are still the ones chasing.”
Red Bull vs Mercedes, how does the dual look?
The new Formula One rake regulations are the key to Red Bull’s better performance in races and Mercedes’s dip in performance. Mercedes F1W12 follows a low rake system in their suspension.
The rake system has harmed the German giants awfully. Hence, they had to give away their fastest car on the track title to their arch-rivals Red Bull as it makes the car slower for around a second. The Milton-Keynes-based team’s RB16B is now the fastest car in Formula One, thanks to their high rake system.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes AMG F1 driving his F1W12 ahead of Max Verstappen and his RB16B of Red Bull Racing at the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Mercedes now leads the Championship with 50 points after two races. Further, Red Bull following closely with 43 points. The competition is still wide open, with more 21 weekends left in this season. The pundits have already predicted that the Championship battle will be a two-sided affair between these giants.
Adding on, Red Bull is more powerful this year with the inclusion of star driver Sergio Perez from Racing Point. It will be interesting to see who claims the Championship at the end of the season. Can Mercedes hold on and retain their Championship or Red Bull will dethrone them and fetch the title? Only time will tell.
