The rivalry between the best is always the most enthralling as well as the most bitter. Mercedes and Red Bull are no different. Ever since Max Verstappen ended Mercedes’ 7-year domination of the WDC, the two teams’ rivalry has always been on edge; ready to burst with the smallest of pricks.

The 2022 season started with a lot of controversies as a result of a contentious Abu Dhabi GP in 2021 and the consequent loss of the title for Mercedes. While that fire looked to slowly simmer down and die out, the two teams have found themselves at loggerheads again.

FIA introduced spending limits, called the cost cap regulations, in order to make F1 a sustainable sport. But reports surfaced mid-season in 2022 of a possible breach by Red Bull of these spending limits. Those reports have since been confirmed by the FIA.

The governing body confirmed that Red Bull overshot their limit in a minor breach, meaning a less than 5% overspend. Since FIA’s announcement, Red Bull and FIA have been in discussions with regard to what the penalty should be. This has irked Mercedes, Toto Wolff, and most of all, fans of the team.

In an unruly incident, Verstappen and Sergio Perez were jeered at by a few fans prior to the US GP. They shouted, “cheater, cheater” at the two drivers.

Speaking to Sky Sports Deutschland, Wolff has come out in support of the drivers. He said, “That is unacceptable. The cheers, whether on stage or at an event for the fans, nobody wants to see that. It has become a bit less, because it doesn’t belong here either. That shouldn’t happen. It goes both ways.’ [Translated via Google]

“In Austria it was against Lewis, here in the United States it is massive against Max. We have to get everyone on the same page. We fight hard on and off the track, but we don’t have that much animosity towards each other.”

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Wolff’s statements are absolutely spot on. Sports have no space for behavior like this. It wasn’t acceptable when it was Lewis. It isn’t acceptable now too.

Lewis Hamilton is unhappy with his P5 finish at the US GP Qualifying

Mercedes have been having their own issues to deal with this season. They aren’t regulatory or governance issues, but self-inflicted wounds – a result of a below-average car that has affected their competitiveness the whole season.

With the title race finished, the Brackley team was expected to try out some changes with the hope of a better car in 2023. They made a number of upgrades to their car, but those haven’t made too much of a difference for Hamilton.

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After finishing P5 in qualifying at Austin, Lewis said “It was not the first sector for me, it was the last sector, but that was a really difficult Qualifying session.”

“I had been feeling so optimistic all weekend, the car setup was feeling good, everyone back at the factory worked so hard to bring an upgrade and I was so hopeful we would be much closer than we were.

“Once we got to Qualifying, I don’t know if it is because the temperatures dropped or wind or what, but the car was such a handful all of a sudden and not unlike any other time we have driven it, but I was expecting a lot more.”

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Red Bull took the title home this season with virtually no competition for either trophy for the team. Mercedes will need to pull up their socks quickly if they want to stop Red Bull from dominating F1 as they themselves did for 8 years.