After 100 days since we last saw F1 cars in action, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is nearly here. In just over 2 weeks’ time, F1 fans can hear Crofty say those 7 magical words that we’ve dearly missed. With F1 holding the first 2 races in Austria, many believe Red Bull are clear favorites heading into Spielberg. However, fans can’t ignore Mercedes for some very good reasons. Here’s why the Silver Arrows could finally redeem themselves at the Red Bull Ring.

Why Mercedes shouldn’t be written off just yet

Judging purely by stats, Mercedes hasn’t really “struggled” at the Red Bull Ring. Ever since the track returned to the F1 calendar, Mercedes has had an impressive run in Spielberg. They’ve clinched 4 wins in the Red Bull Ring, with their last being with Valtteri Bottas in 2017.

However, they haven’t performed all that well in the previous 2 editions of the race. In 2018, the German team suffered from reliability issues and made poor strategic calls. In the following year, the Brackley outfit’s W10 simply couldn’t handle the soaring temperatures in Spielberg.

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On the contrary, Red Bull has excelled in a track that, at least on paper, doesn’t suit their car. With Max winning 2 races in as many years, Red Bull psychologically hold the edge. And that particular stat, coupled with successive races in Austria, has led many fans and experts to favor the Milton-Keynes outfit.

But Mercedes has a few tricks up their sleeve, which could turn their fortunes around and propel them to the top step of the podium in Austria. Mainly, their many innovations, which they’ve implemented in the W11.

DAS: Still a mystery

The biggest takeaway from preseason testing was DAS. The steering mechanism that changed the toe angle of the W11 caught everyone by surprise. DAS provides a marginal boost in straight-line speed and reduces tire wear to a certain degree. The Red Bull Ring consists of long straights and a relatively simple track layout. As a result, DAS could be a gamechanger.

Upgrades people, upgrades

Apart from the steering column trick, the Brackley outfit has made some significant improvements from the W10. Technical director James Allison was particularly proud of the team’s innovation in the rear wishbone structure of the W11. Mercedes has made a sizeable change to its rear suspension and while it’s not as flashy as DAS, it packs a punch.

However, the biggest change or improvement is the fact that Mercedes acknowledged the shortcomings of the W10 in hotter temperatures. Allison revealed that the new PU on the car can operate at elevated temperatures.

Not to mention, Allison recently revealed that Mercedes is bringing a major chunk of upgrades to the 2020 car. The team is aiming to implement these changes before Austria but remains to be seen if the German team can use them before July 5.

With nobody expecting the Brackley outfit to dominate in the first race, Mercedes might just catch us all by surprise when we finally go racing.