Ralf Schumacher believes it will be challenging for Mercedes to reach the top positions on the grid due to their weak speed. Toto Wolff and Ralf Schumacher (via imago)
The long-awaited moment has arrived for Formula 1 fans as they eagerly await the excitement of the upcoming season. In just a few days, the circus will head to Bahrain for the thrilling opening of the season in the Middle East. Test sessions have already begun, giving fans a glimpse of what the next few months hold for most teams, and it seems there has been a slow start.
During the first day of testing sessions in Bahrain, the Red Bull RB20, which was said to be based on last year’s Mercedes W14 model, impressed everyone. Max Verstappen himself expressed positivity, stating that the race car was comfortable for him. This has led his competitors, including Mercedes, to anticipate that Verstappen will dominate most of the Grand Prix races this year, just as he did in 2023.
After two disappointing seasons with below-expected results, rumors indicated that Mercedes was taking a new approach to regain its victories. They introduced a unique pair of front wings that caught everyone’s attention. However, the team failed to lead any of the training sessions in Bahrain and is still behind Red Bull and Verstappen. Ralf Schumacher expressed his disappointment with the performance of the German manufacturer.
In other news, Lewis Hamilton will retire from the Mercedes Brackley garage after the upcoming season and join Scuderia Ferrari. The announcement of his newly signed contract has sparked discussions about the true reason behind Hamilton’s move. Some argue that it is the large amount of money offered by Ferrari, while others claim it is because Mercedes refused to offer a multi-year contract to the 39-year-old driver. Ralf Schumacher believes this is due to Mercedes’ lack of promising performance.
Hamilton himself revealed in a personal statement after the news of his transfer to Ferrari that he has always dreamed of racing for the prestigious Maranello team. As Hamilton embarks on a new chapter with Ferrari, it remains to be seen if he will be able to secure his eighth world title with his new team.
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