Mercedes, grappling with the investigation at the Brixworth headquarters, spotted the element that cost Russell a heavy withdrawal in Australia, and which will lead him to mount new elements in the next Grand Prix in Baku.
Does reliability worry Mercedes?
Mercedes faced a difficult start to the 2023 season, with the W14 failing to deliver the expected results. Grappling with the first changes, and with the desire to revolutionize the single-seater in the European rounds, the team has arrived in Australia.
The weekend in Melbourne was bittersweet for Mercedes, who with Lewis Hamilton ha won the first podium of the season after an excellent – and we might add, surprising showdown. Different situation for Russell, struggling with a breakup that led him to premature retirement. As reported by Roberto Chinchero on Motorsport.com, the team would have identified the element that gave way – i.e. a cylinder – but not the cause, the actual origin of the breakage. Investigations are still ongoing but reliability remains a question mark and raises some concern considering the withdrawal of another Mercedes engine, Lando Norris during the Bahrain GP.
McLaren was forced to mount a practically new power unit on car number 4 in Jeddah. Mercedes in Baku will fit a new endothermic engine on Russell's single-seater, but there is still no confirmation on the hybrid system.
Although the projects have remained the same as in 2022, with the freezing of the engines, there is still a lot of work to be done on the reliability front. This is demonstrated primarily by Ferrari and Mercedes, grappling with the biggest problems at the start of the season. The Maranello team has already served its first penalty of the season with Leclerc. Furthermore, all Ferrari-powered cars have already unmarked the first two endothermic engines. Even at home Haas the concern is great, after the problem highlighted by Hulkenberg immediately after the race and which will lead him to use a new MGU-K.
