'Mercedes must be quick to finesse or Verstappen will be out af grasp'

After F1 winter tests, Mercedes says it got rid of porpoising in 2023, but what has it cost the team? Lewis Hamilton says the W14 lacks top speed, but according to Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle, the problems for Mercedes are also in the details.

According to Brundle, the details he talks about and the problems at Mercedes are affecting the team's confidence. The Briton thinks Mercedes has a clear idea of which way they need to go to improve the car. The W14 is just an evolution of the W13. Brundle says at Sky Sports F1: "I think we all expected them to turn up and be right there with drivability and reliability."

'Mercedes lacks self-confidence'

Brundle continued: "It's odd in a team. Look at Liverpool right now for example, little nuances a couple of changes of personnel, philosophy and maybe a lack of confidence. That's what I am seeing at Mercedes at the moment." Having expected more from Mercedes last year, the Briton seems more cautious in his predictions this year.

"Clearly, they've still got to finesse it," says the commentator. "They need to do it early. Last year, Verstappen didn't score any points in two of the first three races and still smashed the world championship. Mercedes will need to get in there quickly and sort it."