Mercedes set ambitious goal for 2024: 'Become world champion'

Ambitions abound at Mercedes' Formula One team. Technical director James Allison has one goal in mind ahead of the 2024 season: to become world champion. Whether that is realistic is another matter. In any case, Mercedes are embarking on a "pretty ambitious program".

These were confusing years for Mercedes. After seasons of completely dominating Formula 1, the German team failed to make the most of the regulations that came into force in 2022. Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing with Max Verstappen overtook the team of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Not for long, Allison hopes.

In the Performance People podcast, the Brit says he does not know whether a world title in 2024 is really realistic: "I hope that we have put in place enough of a program of work that we have put ourselves in with a shout to be back to [challenging]. Winning ways, does that mean winning a race? Does that mean winning a Championship?"

"In my head, it’s only ever about Championships. That’s what Formula 1 is: it’s a Constructors’ and a Drivers’ Championship. I hope that we have done enough to give ourselves a shout of being in a Championship fight in both Championships," said Allison, who realises that history is not in his favour. In the past, it's usually been a matter of waiting for the next rule change before a dominant team had to surrender power again.