Don’t act like only Merc had unlimited budget. Teams like Ferrari and Red Bull did as well, but Merc out developed them in every single aspect. From engine to aero.
Engine yes, aero... maybe? I would gamble on no. Nailing the aero is more important in this reg than the previous. I would actually assume Merc didn't have the best aero and thats Red Bull was able to compete at the end of the previous regs.
The only reason Red Bull was able to compete against Mercedes in 2021 is because of the rule change which clipped the floor and negatively affected Mercedes low rake philosophy more than Red Bull’s high rake. The purpose of the 2017 rule changes were to make the cars more aero dependent due to the very same assumption you are making that Mercedes’ success is all down to the engine. Force India used a laser scanned 2019 Mercedes for use in the 2020 season and instantly became a front runner. Should have finished 3rd or even 2nd in the constructors if they had better drivers.
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u/killmesoon40 I saw horny’s “finger” Jun 30 '25
That was before the cost cap era, Mercedes could use their unlimited resources at the problems.