Former F1 star Gerhard Berger acknowledges Mercedes’ need to accept Red Bull’s recent dominance.
Hamilton claims Verstappen hasn’t faced equally strong teammates, while Wolff downplays Red Bull’s achievements. Berger, while appreciating the F1 drama, notes Mercedes’ current struggle.
With just one win since technical changes last year, Mercedes lags behind Red Bull’s 31 victories. Verstappen is on track to break his own record, with Mercedes trailing in Constructors’ standings.
The remarks from Wolff and Hamilton at Monza have sparked plenty of debate in the Formula 1 world about how Red Bull’s achievements should be viewed, but Berger believes Mercedes had their own share of similar comments pointed in their direction during their dominant years – and now is their time to try and get back on terms.
When asked on the F1 Nation podcast if Hamilton and Wolff’s comments were necessary, Berger replied: “Of course not. But on the other side, thank God we have all these kinds of discussions, what should we talk [about] now if they all would just be very streamlined and never [made] any critical comments?
“In some ways, they’re a bit frustrated, too, because the seasons are not running as they would like to run.
“And then in the right moment, the wrong question gives some statements like this, but at the end of the day, they’ve been highly competitive over so many years. And at this time, others maybe made some comments like this, and now they are in a different situation and they have to swallow it.
“Let’s say it this way: Lewis says Max doesn’t have a very strong team-mate, but would Lewis be happy to try Max in the same team? I doubt it.”
Red Bull’s dominance may have been delivered by the design excellence from Newey’s team but it is maintained by the ill-considered and blunderingly implemented cost cap.