Mercedes recently saw a little shift in engineers leaving their side as Helmut Marko suggests a possible tense situation on the side.
Mercedes won eight constructor titles in a row after the start of the new turbo hybrid era in 2014. However, the 2022 season was full of disappointment for the side. The team failed miserably to adapt to the new aerodynamic regulations. The Silver Arrows ended the last season with just one win in Brazil. Moreover, by the end of the season, the Brackley-based squad still seemed nowhere close to the frontrunners Red bull.
Now, further to add to the problems for the Mercedes team, James Vowles also left the side to become team principal of the Williams team. Vowles was Mercedes’ chief strategist. According to red bull Helmut Marko has played a key role in many victories of Lewis Hamilton in the last decade.
The 79-year-old also claimed to have inside information about various Mercedes employees leaving the side following the footsteps of Vowles. Helmut Marko further claimed the situation to be “tense” in the Mercedes garage:
“No, I have completely different information. Vowles went on his own accord and, so it is said, is even taking good engineers with him. My sources tell me that’s why the mood at Mercedes is so tense.”
Although Marko suggested that the leaving of Vowles will have a negative impact on the side, however, the Austrian added that Mercedes might be the biggest threat to red bull in 2023:
“We’ll see,”
he added.
“But I still believe that Mercedes will be our biggest challenger when it comes to defending our title this year.”
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