Mercedes must start winning again: 'Otherwise it's a sign of weakness'

If the omens are not deceiving, Red Bull Racing will continue to be the team to beat in 2024. The RB20 is an evolution of the virtually unbeatable RB19, and the competition must be in good shape to catch up - let alone wipe out - the huge deficit over the winter months.

Ralf Schumacher expects Red Bull to be as dominant next season, which starts in Bahrain in 31 days, as they were last year. He explained this to the German news agency DPA. It's not a good thing for the sport believes the former racing driver and currently an analyst for German television. He urges Mercedes, in particular, to improve quickly and compete with Red Bull.

' Formula 1 needs a strong Mercedes'

"For Formula 1, it is very, very important to have a strong Mercedes at the front of the grid again," Schumacher believes. "Mercedes needs to reverse the curve as soon as possible. There is no doubt about that. Failure to do so would be a sign of continued weakness."

After the successful era, Mercedes won only one Grand Prix in the past two seasons. According to Schumacher, if they fails to return to the top step of the podium regularly in 2024, it will be a sign "that people no longer understand how to build a winning car. And that is fatal for a brand like Mercedes, after the successes of recent years."

Mercedes already announced that the new car will have a completely different concept from the cars of the last two seasons.