Given Mercedes' dominance in Australia, the German marque's rivals have now begun their chase. Second on the road in Melbourne was the later-disqualified Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo. "When you think about where they were three weeks ago," said Mercedes' Toto Wolff, "then we need to be really aware of what they are capable of. "We are yet to see a reliable Vettel, and when that happens he'll be really fast," the German told Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper.
Williams is currently regarded as the second-fastest team behind Mercedes, but technical boss Pat Symonds is expecting a tough fight in 2014. "Look at how quickly Renault has caught up," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "Three weeks ago they were nowhere, suddenly they have a car that can be second."
Indeed, a lot of the responsibility for Red Bull's issues is in engine supplier Renault's court. "It is obvious that we are slower on the straights than Mercedes," the French marque's Remi Taffin is quoted by Italiaracing. "I don't know if it's a second, and it's definitely more than a tenth, but there are no unsolvable problems," he insisted.
Also chasing Mercedes hard are McLaren and Ferrari. "We believe that their (Mercedes') advantage is between five tenths and three quarters of a second," McLaren team boss Eric Boullier is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo. "From our side we wanted above all to develop a reliable car, as we think it is essential to win a lot of points early in the season. Then we will have a very aggressive development," said Boullier. "We need to catch up with Mercedes but also other teams that will be successful when their engine is as well."
Ferrari agrees that, despite a disappointing opening weekend in Australia, nothing is lost in terms of the overall battle for the 2014 title. "I honestly believe that there is time for this team to fight for this world championship," boss Stefano Domenicali is quoted by the Spanish sports newspaper AS. "Sure, it will not be easy, but of course there is time and we have the resources to do everything possible to bring it about." (GMM)
Rivals begin chase to catch dominant Mercedes
- Published on 20 Mar 2014 11:36
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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A. Antonelli
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A. Antonelli
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
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17 - Apr 19
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Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
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Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
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Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Visa Cash App RB
- Points 1,061
- Podiums 24
- Grand Prix 188
- Country AU
- Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (37)
- Place of b. Perth, AU
- Weight 64 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 190,935 comments on Visa Cash App RB
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- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
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- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
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- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
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- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
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- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
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- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,951 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
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