F1 News
Will this be the year of Verstappen? "Mercedes' hegemony is over in 2021"
- GPblog.com
Mercedes had many problems during the three-day winter test in Bahrain. RTL GP journalist Allard Kalff thinks that the hegemony of Mercedes is over. Former engineer Kees van de Grint is not so sure about that and expects Mercedes to solve their problems.
Mercedes faces problems
"The hegemony of Mercedes is over in 2021. It's finished," Allard Kalff said at RTL GP Slipstream. "They might go on to be world champions, only not as supreme as they have been in recent years. That's gone from them." Van de Grint doesn't quite agree and doesn't want to underestimate the German team.
"If we go back to the thirties of the last century, where they were also the dominant force. Then they also had a test that they were not good. But this company is able to correct this," van de Grint sais.
Can Verstappen become champion?
The test of Mercedes was described as 'bad' by van de Grint, but he thinks Mercedes can solve the problems. During the test the car of Mercedes seemed very unstable and also had technical problems. Lewis Hamilton had trouble keeping the W12 on the track.
Van de Grint is honest and knows that it is still very early to say whether a team will do well or not this year. But should Mercedes really not be able to keep up in 2021 van de Grint is sure: "Then it will be a Verstappen year."