Mercedes could be set for further F1 humiliation if Lewis Hamilton and George Russell don't perform in the W14 cars in Saudi Arabia and Australia.
After their struggles in 2022, there was much intrigue as to how the Silver Arrows would react this season, especially with Hamilton reportedly ready to walk away from the sport at the end of the year if he's not provided with a competitive car. But the opening weekend in Bahrain proved a harrowing one, with Hamilton only fifth and Russell seventh.
Again Red Bull were dominant with Max Verstappen taking the chequered flag from Sergio Perez, but it was Aston Martin who provided the story of the weekend. Spanish icon Fernando Alonso was third, and Lance Stroll defied hand injuries - and an early collision with his teammate - to finish sixth.
