McLaren Formula E star Sam Bird claims the F1 team have rectified several of the issues which held them back last season. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were pushing for victories by the end of the year, and an improved 2024 car would be bad news for Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who has made it clear where his sights are set.
To say Red Bull were F1’s dominant force in 2023 would be a gross understatement. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez won all bar one Grand Prix between them as the team amassed 451 more points than their nearest challenger.
Mercedes took second place in the Constructors’ Championship after a close battle with Ferrari, and McLaren finished strongly to take fourth. Given the size of the gap to Red Bull, Silver Arrows boss Wolff says his team’s main aim in 2024 will once again be fending off the competition for the runner-up spot.
“Our aim is to consolidate our positions towards Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and be in the forward part of that group,” revealed the Austrian during Mercedes’ W15 launch.
Newly-recruited Formula E driver Bird has bad news for Wolff on that front. From the information he has heard about the MCL38 set to be driven by Norris and Piastri, the 37-year-old believes McLaren are primed to cause upsets this season.
“I can only really see Ferrari or potentially my new employer McLaren causing some upsets during the year,” he told the Chequered Flag podcast. “I know that McLaren are excited by their car. They’ve worked on some key areas from last year.
While Wolff took a soberingly realistic approach to Mercedes’ 2024 aims, he also acknowledged that any opportunity to compete with Red Bull will be grasped with both hands.
“At the same time we want to try to race at the very front,” he added. “We’re determined to do this but at the same time we know how difficult it is because you’re a step behind your main competitor that has got it right from the get-go. But we love the challenge and this is why all of us are so eager to see the car that we’re driving.”
