Mercedes choice doesn't surprise Verstappen: 'That's difficult to do'

Mercedes' decision to largely stick with the W13 concept came as no surprise to Max Verstappen. However, the reigning world champion did note that things still do not always look comfortable in the car driven by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes already hinted late last year that the zero sidepod concept might not be abandoned completely. That suggestion was confirmed at the unveiling of the W14, this time showing 'half' sidepods. However, team boss Toto Wolff explained that the design of the sidepods is still subject to change.

Not everyone understands Mercedes' decision to stay true to the concept, which did not prove very successful for the German racing stable in the 2022 Formula 1 season. Verstappen, however, is not surprised by the choice. "If you have to develop a whole new concept during the winter, that's very difficult," he said in conversation with Motorsport.com.

Verstappen has not yet kept a close eye on Mercedes, but asked about how the team is doing so far, he does notice something striking. "It doesn't look too comfortable so far," he continues. However, he adds that Mercedes can always come up with a solution at the last minute, so it will be a wait and see until the Bahrain Grand Prix to see what the proportions are.