Formula One - Is True Mercedes Race Pace Shrouded By Monaco Victory?

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes. (C)

    Congratulations to Nico Rosberg and the Mercedes F1 team for winning the glamorous Monaco Grand Prix around the tight confines of the Monte Carlo street circuit. The first father and son in F1 to win the prestigious race with Nico's father and 1982 world champion Keke winning 30 years ago. 
    Mercedes F1 team are a team on the improve. Of that there is no doubt. The "Silver Arrows" one lap qualifying pace has been nothing short of mesmerising, yet up until the Monaco GP have occasionally slid down the order during the race. China saw Lewis Hamilton's pole position convert to third place. In Bahrain, Rosberg, Q1 then P9 come race day. Ouch! The most alarming was Spain. A front row lock out to Rosberg and Hamilton translated to P6 and P12 respectively around Catalunya's aero demanding circuit, despite Rosberg holding on bravely to P1 until the first round of pitstops. Yet, impressively, another front row lock out in Monaco scored Mercedes P1 for Rosberg and P4 for Hamilton. Did Monaco mask a deeper problem?
    Mercedes have clearly built a quick 2013 car with scope for development, but sometimes it has quite a large appetite for the rapidly degrading Pirelli rubber. Is this because the questions asked by a fast,high downforce generating car cannot be answered by the tyres? In other words, are Mercedes hampered by the need to nurse the tyres during races and therefore cannot exploit their car's full potential? Is the car that good?
    A couple of points to note. Monaco is not a circuit brandishing big sweeping, big aero corners. It is more demanding of mechanical grip, meaning tyres can be managed with less concern. This confirms Mercedes have a tidy package on their hands. The other point concerns the recent tyre test held the day after the Spanish GP, before Monaco. It was conducted by Pirelli, not the team, conducted in good faith to test the 2014 tyres. Therefore no advantage was gained by Mercedes for 2013. We fear we may hear more on this though.
    So does Mercedes' Monaco victory shroud their true race pace? Will we continue to see a Mercedes driver on the top step of the podium? Can Mercedes allow their drivers to push whilst maximising tyre durability? Next race at Canada is also more reliant on mechanical grip than aero to get out of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve's numerous hairpins and chicanes. Maybe we'll get a more objective picture at the British GP around aero sensitive Silverstone? Let us know what you think. Send us an email at: [email protected] or simply leave a comment.
    Cheers....


    

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