Formula 1: Mercedes at risk of hitting hybrid era low in Russian Grand Prix

Mercedes haven’t failed to win for four consecutive races in Formula 1’s V6 turbo hybrid era. They are at risk of hitting that new low in this Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom.

The V6 turbo hybrid era of Formula 1 began ahead of the 2014 season, and a total of 115 races have been contested since then.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport have been the dominant team of this era, winning 84 of these 115 races while Scuderia Ferrari have won 17 and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing have won 14.

Additionally, they have won each of the five driver and constructor championships that have been decided during this era, and they are on pace to extend their streaks to six.

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But they are currently riding a three-race win drought, something that they had only experienced one throughout this era until now, and this win drought was somewhat unexpected.

Ferrari were the favorites to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and the Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, and they won both with Charles Leclerc.

But Mercedes were the favorites to win the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit, and if they were to be challenged, that challenge was expected to come from Red Bull Racing.

Yet it was Ferrari that ended up not only winning this race but securing a 1-2 finish with Sebastian Vettel winning his first race in over a year and Leclerc finishing in second place. Mercedes, for just the second time in the 2019 season, failed to finish on the podium, as Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen finishing in third.

The last time Mercedes were on a three-race win drought was to start the 2018 season. Vettel won the season’s first two races, the Australian Grand Prix and the Bahrain Grand Prix, and Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo won the following race, the Chinese Grand Prix.

Now they are at risk of going on their first four-race win drought of the V6 turbo hybrid era.

Will this win drought be extended in this Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom?

In five races at the 18-turn, 3.634-mile (5.848-kilometer) Sochi Autodrom road course in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, Mercedes have been the only winners. In fact, they have led 228 of the 264 laps that have ever been contested there, and they have secured three 1-2 finishes.

If there is one race on the schedule that seems like almost a sure win for the Silver Arrows, it’s this one.

That said, the Singapore Grand Prix appeared similar in nature, as Mercedes entered this year’s running of the race with three consecutive victories in it and four in the last five seasons. But this was only the first race of their three-race win drought that they were supposed to win. If they also don’t win the Russian Grand Prix, it may be time for the Brackley-based team to panic, even with both 2019 championships practically locked up.

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Will Mercedes’ win drought extend to four races for the first time in Formula 1‘s V6 turbo hybrid era in this Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix? This race is set to be broadcast live on ESPN2 from Sochi Autodrom beginning at 7:05 a.m. ET.

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