Mercedes’ journey from turbo-hybrid supremacy to adapting to ground-effect regulations. Mercedes dominated the hybrid era but struggled with ground-effect cars..

Mercedes: from hybrid era dominance to ground-effect challenges

From the introduction of turbo-hybrid engines in 2014 until 2021, Mercedes was the dominant team in Formula 1, securing eight Constructors’ Championships and seven Drivers’ Championships. Everything changed with the regulatory shift originally scheduled for 2021 but delayed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the 2020 season. This significant change transformed the cars into ground-effect vehicles, a development Mercedes has never fully mastered, as admitted by team principal Toto Wolff.

The words of Toto Wolff

Wolff’s admission comes ahead of the next major regulatory overhaul, considered by many as the most significant in terms of technical modifications. Predicting a project starting with a “blank sheet” can be both a great opportunity and a considerable risk. Having caught rivals off guard in 2014, Mercedes believed it could repeat this in 2022 with its controversial “zero pod” approach. Even though it quickly became clear that the strategy had flaws, the German team persisted.

“I think we were never really good at handling those regulations (ground-effect cars),” Toto Wolff explained. “From the start, I believe we were at a disadvantage. Catching up to top competitors is very difficult.”

Recently, Mercedes has managed to recover some ground, now battling with Ferrari for second place behind McLaren. Many expect Mercedes to maximize the upcoming rule changes, but the team is still seeking key reference points to understand why the car seems competitive only on certain tracks and under specific conditions. As a result, the team recently reverted to an older rear suspension design.

Highlights and lessons from the season

Despite these challenges, Wolff is convinced that not everything is lost. “I will reflect on many of the highlights,” he said. “You know how we literally dominated last year at Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton’s last win at the British Grand Prix. We were dominant at Spa, absolutely dominant in Las Vegas. Those were fantastic moments, and this year in Montreal… we sometimes had a winning car. For the second half of the season, we need to return to having a consistently winning car.”

Challenges for Kimi Antonelli

The inconsistency of the W16 has affected Kimi Antonelli, the young Italian driver, who has experienced a drop in form compared to the season’s opening races. This is evident from weekends of strong performance contrasted with events where nothing went right, such as Imola and Monaco.

Regarding Antonelli’s talent, Toto Wolff stated: “Kimi has enormous talent. He is fast, he is intelligent. I said from the beginning he would make mistakes, and we were aware of that when we signed him. Unfortunately, we have an unreliable car, which makes it more difficult for him to adapt. But overcoming these challenges is part of the process of becoming a champion.”

“This is a learning experience for all of us. We have never had such a young driver in the team, and generally, F1 has never had an eighteen-year-old in a top team. We are all working together, including his family, to create an environment that allows Kimi to perform at his best on track.”

Looking forward

Ultimately, according to Toto Wolff, not everything should be discarded; rather, every aspect should be analyzed carefully to avoid repeating the same mistakes in 2026. Mercedes is focusing on learning from its current challenges with the W16, refining its approach, and preparing for a more competitive future as the next regulatory changes come into effect.