P1racenews AI automatic summary:
With just 26 points after three races, Mercedes has had a dramatic start to the season. What is going wrong at the Silver Arrows?
Mercedes entered the 2024 F1 campaign full of hope and optimism with the W15, but it’s been a déjà vu for them. Lewis Hamilton called it “the worst season start of my career” with just eight points and a retirement in Australia. George Russell isn’t doing much better with eighteen points and a crash in Melbourne. Mercedes faces a tough challenge for podiums and wins for the third season in a row due to struggles since the 2022 ground effect regulations. The team’s zero pod concept was ditched, but the new one isn’t paying off yet, with setbacks hurting Hamilton. The W15 shows potential but inconsistency, leaving Mercedes a step behind Red Bull and Ferrari in maximizing performance.