Dominant force
‘To work within the regulations, you end up with something very complicated to achieve something that potentially could be done with a much more simplistic shape’
Mike Elliott, technical director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team
What can be said of the Mercedes Formula 1 teams’ domination of the first hybrid era of Formula 1? Starting with the F1 W05 Hybrid in 2014 and culminating in the F1 W12 E-Performance in 2021, Mercedes Formula 1 cars have tallied an unsurpassable number of combined points every season since the dawn of the era, seeing it crowned Constructors’ Champion eight years in a row.
The manufacturer’s 2021 machine, the W12 E-Performance, was the most challenged by the opposition, mainly by Red Bull’s RB16B, which won the highest number of races in 2021, but that wasn’t enough to take the Constructors’ title from Mercedes.
The 2021 season also marked the end of a generation of Formula 1, with a shift in technical regulations for the 2022 season and beyond, so teams had to decide when to stop development and shift focus to the ’22 car instead.
‘It’s always harder to lead than it is to follow,’ says Mercedes F1’s Technical Director Mike Elliott. ‘Our whole development strategy was unique because of this, and our approach throughout this era was, perhaps, less risky than our competitors because we wanted to maintain our lead rather than chase down our rivals. When you look at the string of championships we’ve had over the last eight years, to be able to carry that on so consistently is the bit I’m most proud of, and most impressed by in terms of what we’ve achieved.
‘There have been several significant changes to the regulations throughout this era, 2017 and 2019,
