Mercedes seems to have lost its advantage for several races, but Charles Leclerc refuses to write off the German team in the fight for the titles.
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Mercedes’ dominance has taken a hit, but Charles Leclerc does not believe for a second that the German team has given up on regaining the advantage.
Untouchable at the start of the season, Mercedes had won the first six Grands Prix of the year before gradually seeing Ferrari and McLaren close the gap. Over the last six rounds, the two teams have shared four victories, with two wins each.
A shift in the hierarchy that suggests a much more contested second half of the championship. But despite the recent slowdown of Mercedes, Leclerc remains convinced that something is being prepared behind the scenes in Brackley.
Leclerc does not believe Mercedes is inactive
Toto Wolff’s statements have nevertheless fueled questions. The Mercedes boss recently stated that his team no longer has the financial resources necessary to continue developing the W17 at the same pace.
A statement already met with skepticism by Andrea Stella at McLaren. Charles Leclerc also shows particular caution.
“I don’t know what they are preparing. I don’t know their plans,” admits the Ferrari driver.
However, the Monegasque struggles to imagine Mercedes simply waiting until the end of the season without trying to react.
“I am almost certain they are not just there relaxing, watching the races, and quietly enjoying the situation.”
“I am sure there is a lot of work being done behind the scenes. Is the budget dedicated to next year’s car or will something come later this season? I don’t know. Only time will tell.”
Mercedes has lost its benchmark status
The situation has changed considerably since the start of the championship. After its six consecutive wins to start the season, Mercedes seemed to have a comfortable margin over the competition.
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But Ferrari and especially McLaren have gradually reduced the gap. Lando Norris has notably just won two consecutive Grands Prix, in Hungary and then in the Netherlands, while Mercedes no longer shows the same superiority as before.
George Russell himself has acknowledged that McLaren is now probably the team to beat, while Kimi Antonelli has also admitted that Mercedes no longer necessarily has the fastest car on the grid.
This reshuffling of the cards could make the end of the season particularly uncertain if Ferrari and McLaren manage to maintain their development pace.
“I would not underestimate them”
Mercedes still retains a considerable advantage thanks to the points accumulated during its impressive first part of the championship.
Kimi Antonelli still has a 59-point lead in the drivers’ standings, despite the rise of his rivals. An important cushion that allows the young Italian to keep control of the title race.
For Leclerc, the performances shown by Mercedes since the start of the year are enough to justify some caution.
“I would not underestimate them, given the level of competitiveness they have shown since the start of the year,” he warns.
The question now is whether Mercedes really has significant upgrades still in store or if Toto Wolff was telling the truth when mentioning the financial limits faced by his team.
One thing is certain: at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc refuses to believe that Mercedes will remain inactive for long.
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