Mercedes Commits to Dual Championship Ambition: Aiming for Success in Both 2025 and 2026 F1 Seasons

Mercedes is determined not to abandon Formula 1 in 2025 in order to gain an advantage with the sport's upcoming regulations.

Drawing inspiration from Niki Lauda's philosophy, when posed with the question of preferring to win the current or the forthcoming race, he famously responded, "Both."

Toto Wolff has affirmed that Mercedes remains committed to their aspirations for 2025, aiming to gain an advantage with the introduction of the new F1 regulations in 2026.

Mercedes has experienced a season of highs and lows this year.

Before the summer break commenced, they emerged as the team to beat, securing victories in three out of the four races leading up to the hiatus.

Nonetheless, post-Zandvoort, Mercedes has not been in contention at the forefront, slipping behind Ferrari in the hierarchy.

The current regulations are set to expire in 2025, and completely new regulations will be implemented a year after that.

Aiming for a strong kickoff to 2026, several teams may choose to shift their attention away from the previous year.

Wolff has definitively dismissed this idea for Mercedes, with the Austrian setting his sights on winning the championship in both seasons.

"Wolff mentioned to Autosport, 'Every year this becomes the central issue, particularly with significant regulatory adjustments on the horizon. Do you sacrifice one year over another?'"

"However, I'm inspired by Niki's philosophy on the matter. When questioned, 'Do you prefer winning this race or the next?' His response is, 'Both.'"

"Often, the situation is simpler than it appears. Likely, the shift of personnel and skills to meet the 2026 rules will occur sooner than if the regulations remained unchanged, yet this change won't be revolutionary."

"No one plans to shut down the equipment in January unless you're completely off the radar. However, there's no advantage to it since moving from P10 to P7 doesn't change our situation. Our goal is to win and secure podium finishes, so we can't just dismiss our efforts."

Mercedes' fluctuations in performance are not uncommon at the forefront of the competition, with both Ferrari and Red Bull experiencing comparable challenges.

Wolff admitted that comprehending the varying levels of performance among teams, aside from McLaren, posed a challenge.

"The inconsistency in results from one race to another, or across several races, is challenging to quantify, since a car that appears to be identical can fluctuate from winning a race to finishing in sixth place," he further stated.

McLaren stands out as the sole team unaffected by this issue, possessing a robust baseline and a broader performance margin compared to the rest, enabling them to maintain consistent performance.

"Everyone else fluctuates between high spirits and low moods. Prior to the summer season, Ferrari was dismissed by many. However, they've made a significant comeback."

"Prior to the summer season, Mercedes had been at the forefront, but that's no longer the case today. Pinpointing the factors behind their performance has become so complex that even the brightest minds can find themselves perplexed."

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