Mercedes roll the dice with the W14 as they bid to return to title-winning ways – but will it pay off?

If column-inches translated into points, right now we’d already be asking rhetorically if anyone could catch Mercedes in 2023. It is traditional for one team to dominate the media landscape before a wheel is turned in anger, and through January and February, that team were the Silver [later revealed to be Black] Arrows.

They’re an unusual candidate for such scrutiny: the honour usually goes to defending champions; or teams with new management; with marquee driver signings or rumoured to be on their financial uppers. Mercedes, conversely, are the model of continuity – though it’s not an exaggeration to suggest the ability of 2023 to hold the interest of the Formula 1 community is perhaps dependent on the performance of their W14. No pressure lads…

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