The stats behind Mercedes’ worst start to an F1 season in over a decade

It’s been a miserable start for Mercedes in 2024, failing to finish on the podium at any of the opening five races.

Astonishingly, in raw performance terms, Mercedes are slower than two of their customer teams in raw performance terms - McLaren and Aston Martin.

George Russell kicked off Mercedes’ 2024 campaign with a respective P5 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing behind the two Red Bulls and two Ferraris.

However, since then, Mercedes have struggled to bag big points.

On the other side of the garage, Lewis Hamilton has finished ninth on three occasions, making it his own worst start to an F1 season.

How bad has it been?

Mercedes’ start to the 2024 F1 season is their worst in over a decade, stretching back to 2012.

Mercedes have scored 52 points in the opening five races.

Only in two other seasons (in the modern era) have they scored fewer points. 2012 (43 points) and 2011 (40 points).

Mercedes’ best to worst starts to F1 season

2019 - 217

2015 - 202

2014 - 197

2020 - 180

2017 - 161

2016 - 157

2018 - 153

2021 - 148

2023 - 96

2022 - 95

2013 - 72

2010 - 72

2024 - 52

2012 - 43

2011 - 40

Can Mercedes turn it around?

Based on the previous two years, probably not.

It appears unlike McLaren and Ferrari, let alone Red Bull, they don’t have a clear grasp of what works under this current set of technical regulations.

Mercedes insist their numbers and data back at base reads well but it doesn’t transpire on track.

Mercedes are introducing a significant upgrade for Miami as they look to turn their season around.

"I think considering where we put the cars altogether, drivers and team, was not a good position for today. Not good enough overall,” Toto Wolff said on Sunday.

"Lacking pace. We have got to dig deep. We have got something coming for Miami that looks like a good step, let's see where that brings us out.

"It's not an OK car. We can see what the mistakes are on the car. We wanted to go a bit more aggressive to see if it was something so different we needed to do on that car and you can see Lewis today took it on him, that was maybe a step too far."

"The race car was not fast. You hear him saying the car doesn't turn and this is what we can see in the data. it wasn't the right thing to do."