Mercedes boss Toto Wolff alarmed fans today with his admission that their car is incapable of carrying Lewis Hamilton to the title. As Wolff expressed his doubts that ‘this package is going to be competitive’, it threw into sharp relief the increased visual disparity between the two vehicles, with Mercedes having refused to follow the example of Red Bull’s bulbous side pods from 2022. Instead, they have stuck to slimline ‘zero’ side pods, while Red Bull have extended a tunnel feature all the way to the rear of the car, and changed the shape of its nose, floor and engine cover.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•