Mercedes boss Toto Wolff summed up his team's situation after the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, admitting their W14 is simply lacking pace front, right and center.
Mercedes are having another tough start to a Formula 1 season in 2023, after their well-documented troubled 2022 season, as they have taken to wrong decision keeping the faith in their slim-sidepod design.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished the Bahrain season opener fifth and seventh respectively and were beaten by Aston Martin courtesy of Fernando Alonso.
"One of the worst days in racing," Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1 after the race. "Really not good at all, we were just lacking pace front, right, and centre.
Red Bull on a different planet
"That is a reflection of the tests. The Aston Martin is very fast, they deserve that. Red Bull is just on a different planet.
"That is what hurts because they are so far ahead, it reminds me of our best years because we just put a second on everybody else," the Austrian added reflecting on Mercedes' glory years between 2014 and 2021.
"That is the benchmark and we have to do one step after the other to come back and we can do that," he went on, insisting: "We can, absolutely we can."
With the first race done and dusted, Mercedes currently sit third in Constructors' Championship on 16 points, seven points behind Aston Martin, who in turn are 20 points behind leaders Red Bull.
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