The next F1 race will take place in Azerbaijan, Baku. Apparently there is a lot of money there to make races take place, while the country is known for relative poverty in principle. But Verstappen is probably every race favourite. Even if he has to start from 10th place, he still drives everyone home. Mercedes is slowly climbing out of the valley and has achieved at least a few podium places. Trying to win a race here and there this season and then competing for the championship again next season, that will be the tactic at mercedes.
Mercedes seems to have a kind of restart year. It's unclear to me exactly where it went wrong. Would it really all have to do with the new rules in F1 since last season? When Mercedes really didn't stand a chance. They dominated the sport for 10 years and Hamilton didn't know how to lose anymore. No wins last season. I think Hamilton would be happy with just 1 win this season, which in itself could work out. Baku seems like a pretty boring course with few overtaking opportunities, right?
Well simply because they used a different aero on the team, and the chasis was all wrong, which makes you lose so much pace as well so they needed to fix it. Let me tell you the difference, Aston Martin last year had a car much like Mercedes but even worse, look at where they are today? That is because their car is more like Red Bull instead, that's what they changed and suddenly became so much better.
Mercedes already hired their best ever designer, that means if they end up with the same type of improvement and change, if they go that route which they said they will eventually, then they could have that kind of improvement. If Aston Martin went from 7th best to 2nd best, imagine how much better Mercedes could be with that type of upgrade. Will that be on Baku? I do not think so, that's too quick of a change, but I bet after the big summer break they will have it ready.