Mercedes' Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin feels the Silver Arrows are capable of winning races in this Formula 1 season. After sweeping every available Constructors' Championship title between 2014 and 2021, Mercedes have fallen back this year, relegated to scrapping for podium finishes while Red Bull and Ferrari battle for top honours. Mercedes' downturn coincided with the introduction of new aero regulations for 2022, with the W13 notably struggling badly with porpoising and bouncing earlier in the season. However, in recent races, there have been signs that Mercedes have closed the gap on the leading cars, with Lewis Hamilton leading several laps of the British Grand Prix, and Shovlin says he has never doubted that the Silver Arrows would be capable of winning in 2022.
Mercedes need "two or three tenths" to fight for wins
"I've always thought that we can win races this season, and that's very much the mindset of the team." Shovlin told The GoF1Show . "The development rate that has seen us go from being somewhere in the mid-pack to now nipping at the heels of Red Bull and Ferrari in recent races, over time that should see us catch up. "We're not quick enough at the moment. We need another two or three tenths over and above what they can bring, and we're just focused on closing that gap. "As soon as you've got a car that's there or thereabouts, then race wins will come."
Shovlin talks up Mercedes development
Mercedes' competitive showing at Silverstone coincided with the arrival of a major upgrade package for the W13, including revisions to the floor, rear wing, sidepods and front suspension, and Shovlin talked up the positive effects the car's recent updates had had on performance. "Early on in the year, we were very much racing and qualifying in midfield," said Shovlin. "To get to where we have, we've shown good development, and the most encouraging thing is that we're understanding how to develop within these regulations. "The update kit we brought to Silverstone delivered what we'd expected, but the confidence in just developing a kit and bolting it on the car and seeing the performance has widened a bit with [2022's new technical] rules. "We've had lots of years where we could just do that, but the really encouraging thing in Silverstone was to see that kit deliver the performance."
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