After a slow start to 2023, Mercedes decided to chanꦰge their design concept with the W14 by introducing a major upgrade in Monaco.

The update saw signif๊icant changes to the sidepod era with Hamilton pushing Mercedes to go down the Red Bull route.

Hamilt꧂on raised his concerns 𝓀about this year's Mercedes immediately after the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

He said to the BBC: “Last year, I told them the i🦋ssues that a🧸re with the car. 

“Like, I’ve driven so many ♌cars▨ in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need.”

Speaking on the Sky ꧋Sports F1 podcast, Croft speculated that the design changes have been dictated by the drivers, rather than the engineering team.

“I worry with Mercedes who’s waggi🐈ng these engineerꦍing changes?” he said.

“Is the engineering team saying we need to be changing our concept, or is it pressure from those in the 𓂃cockpit from 🌃Lewis and from George?

“Lewis is a vastly experienced racing driver and George has got plenty of experience himself, but you want the engineering♛ team to be driving it because they understand engineering and design and aerodynamics way more than the drivers ꦏever will. 

“But I just worry that the changing concept, did it 🦂come from the cockpit or did it come from back a🐭t base?”

Lik🐬e Ferrari at the end of the Michael Schumacher era, 🥃Croft says Mercedes’ downfall is expected given the high-profile personnel that have left the team.

“Tℱhey’re losing staff, Loic Serra is heading off to Ferrari and they’ll mis🌠s him, and there have been others that have gone as well,” Croft added.

“We often see that dynasties dissipate after a ඣwhile, and that group of men and women that came together to create such an amazing dynasty at Mercedes have ticked past midnight and are we starting to w🌳ane just a little bit now?”