“Just configured differently”: How Mercedes pulled off Bahrain heist without update

Red Bull seemed very much like the team to beat heading into the first race of the 2021 season. However, Mercedes somehow found a way to establish its superiority and claim top honours despite a highly disappointing pre-season in Bahrain.

Many felt that this season would see Red Bull trump Mercedes after the team was seen struggling in the early part of the season, but Toto Wolff’s team has made considerable strides in the last couple of days.

What augurs well for Mercedes is the fact that the Silver Arrows added so much speed without any significant updates to its car.

“There were the same parts in the car as during testing, just configured differently,” a Mercedes engineer told Auto, Motor und Sport.

While testing seemed to have the entire team rattled, the German outfit has shown once again that it is truly the dominant force on the grid.

The first update pack is still a while away for the team and the fact that they have made such a significant improvement without panicking and flying new parts in would surely have made Red Bull nervous.

A record number of Grand Prix races are scheduled across the 2021 season, totalling 23 in all.

It is important to note that regulations will drastically change for next season so it is unknown just how long teams will continue to work on the existing cars.

The added factor of the budget cap that has been introduced this year is another reason teams will need to be cautious with respect to how they operate.

Do you believe Mercedes will win the constructors’ championship once again? Let us know in the comments section below!

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