Mercedes is no longer the favorite in Formula One, and that is something the team needs to get used to.
The Silver Arrows head into this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix after a dire performance at last month’s Monaco GP. Valtteri Bottas finished fourth while three-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton only managed seventh.
Worse still, Ferrari finished 1-2 with Sebastian Vettel beating Kimi Raikkonen. After six races, Mercedes trails Ferrari in the drivers’ and constructors’ championships – a big change after three years of total Mercedes dominance.
”Historic success doesn’t translate into current performance,” said Toto Wolff, the head of motorsport at Mercedes.