Mercedes have been backed to cut the gap between themselves and Ferrari and Red Bull after a difficult start to the 2022 F1 season.
The Silver Arrows went into the new campaign, which signified new technical regulations coming into the sport, on the back of eight consecutive constructors' titles. However, they have struggled to adapt their vehicles to the levels of their closest rivals.
After being off the pace in pre-season testing, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell benefited from Red Bull's misfortune in Bahrain, finishing third and fourth respectively after Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both retired late on. The struggle continued in Saudi Arabia, with Hamilton remarkably exiting in Q1.
He would eventually scramble 10th place in the Grand Prix, with Russell fourth, with the two drivers both voicing concern that they won't be competing for wins anytime soon. It's unlikely that the team would have had time to significantly breach the gap ahead of this week's Australian Grand Prix.
By contrast, the Scuderia are excelling, with Charles Leclerc having won in Bahrain before finishing second following an epic duel with Verstappen in Saudi. Team-mate Carlos Sainz has also recorded back-to-back podium finishes.
However, F1's technical consultant, Rob Smedley, has backed Toto Wolff's team to get it right. And he thinks the recovery will come sooner rather than later.
"Mercedes would be the first to admit that they haven't got it right. Ferrari have done a really good job in moving up and being right there with Red Bull," Smedley told Reuters. "But I would expect that to change now more than any other year as people find big chunks of performance in lots of different areas.
"The development phase of the car is at such an immature stage, the cars will change significantly from the first race to the final race. There's going to be a very, very strong development curve on those cars."
Wolff has admitted his team's displays have been "unacceptable" thus far, but Smedley also insisted the campaign was always going to be an unpredictable one. And he thinks F1 bosses have now got the more competitive product they desired.
"It was always going to be the case that some would get it right and some would get it wrong," he continued. "I think that's the beauty, that's certainly what Formula One were hoping for in making the big regulatory changes, that you do change the world order.
"But you not only change it, you can then see some evolution throughout the season." The race down under represents the first for two years, after the race was removed from the schedule in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first practice session in Melbourne takes place on Friday. Following the weekend, drivers will have another two-week gap before the fourth race in Emilia Romagna.
