Alarm bells ringing in Mercedes camp as Toto Wolff admits his team are ‘a bit lost’

Mercedes encountered some issues during the second day of the 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain. The British team looked quite reliable throughout the testing sessions up until the last session of the second day, where George Russell's W14 stopped on the track due to hydraulic failure. The session was red-flagged as marshals came out to remove the stopped car off the track.

According to AMuS, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff revealed that the data showed a massive loss of downforce on the front axle of both of their cars. Another problem arose when an important sensor in the car failed, leaving the team in the dark. Unfortunately, the mechanics who worked during the day were unable to resolve the issue. Hence, the Silver Arrows will be relying on their night crew to come up with a solution.

Speaking to AMuS, Wolff admitted that the team is slightly lost and does not know exactly where they stand on the situation, saying:

"We're a bit lost, as we don't know where we stand right now."

Hence, after the second day of testing came to an end, all the heads of the team along with the drivers were seen having a meeting late at night to discuss how they could solve the shortcomings.

Thankfully, George Russell's car is currently working well and set the fastest lap during the first session of the third and final day of the 2023 F1 pre-season testing. Prior to this, Toto Wolff also revealed how the team was hiding their performance during the testing sessions, confirming the sandbagging that F1 teams usually do before the main season commences.

However, Mercedes could still have several issues behind the scenes as they try to extract the maximum performance out of their car.

---

George Russell is positive for Mercedes despite having limitations

Although Mercedes did not have the best sessions on the second day of testing, George Russell is still positive that the issues faced by the team will eventually help them develop a stronger and more reliable car once they are resolved.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Briton explained how the car lacked a bit of balance and was struggling in the mid-corner sections of the track, saying:

“I think it’s no secret when you’re watching the onboard videos that we are struggling a little bit with the balance, struggling a lot in the mid-corner. But I think it’s a balance that is probably easier to solve than what we had last year. So even though there’s still a limitation, let’s say it’s a good problem to have."

Mercedes will, of course, be quick to resolve such issues. The team is much more relaxed, especially compared to 2022, when they faced some fundamental aerodynamic problems that hampered their performance throughout last season.