Hill expects Mercedes comeback: 'There must be something with the sidepods'

Since the 2022 rule changes, Mercedes has been struggling. The team's high expectations have not been met. Still, Damon Hill thinks Mercedes could well come back.

Disappointing results

After a hellish battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in 2021, where the Dutchman came out on top, Mercedes' dominance was over. In 2022, Mercedes managed to win just once, and in 2023, the German racing stable's results are still not optimal. The team is third in the constructors' championship, behind Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin.

In the drivers' championship, things are not going very well yet either. Lewis Hamilton, aiming for a record-breaking eighth world title, is currently in fourth place with 56 points. His teammate George Russell is currently sixth with 40 points.

Striking sidepods

So the wheel has to change, and Hill expects Mercedes to have a good plan to come back, he told the F1 Nation podcast: "They talk about the side pod, that has been the big bone of contention over the last 2 years. Why do their side pods look so different to everyone else? Then people in Mercedes say it's a small part of the aero package and you're making too much of it. But there's got to be something in it, we're very excited to see what they are going to bring."