In an open letter to its fans, Mercedes vows that in it determination to recover following the "pain" of Bahrain, there will be no "panic, knee-jerk reactions or scapegoats".

The promise comes at a time the German team is not only having to deal with tuerning its season around on track - after just one race might we point out - but increasing speculation in the media as to who is to blame and the potential for fall-out within the Brackley-based outfit.

Indeed, in a masterpiece of analysis, the Daily Mail today claims that Sky Sports presenter Simon Lazenby could leave Mercedes for Ferrari. Sigh.

"Bahrain hurt," admits the German team in today's open letter. "It hurt each one of us, who head into every season determined to fight for world championships. It hurt the team as a whole, after pouring so much hard work into a car that hasn't met our expectations. And we know it hurt you, our fans, too. Your passion and support are so important in driving us forward - and we know that we feel the same pain.

"The situation we face right now isn't the one that any of us wanted - but it's the one we have. That's the reality of it. And the simple questions are: what can we do about it, and what will we do about it?

"First, we won't panic or make knee-jerk reactions. In a spotlight as fierce as F1, people are quick to point fingers, or look for scapegoats. But you know us better than that. Inside the team, we talk about having the courage to fail, the character to be accountable and the strength to see failure as an opportunity. We have been open and searingly honest about where we find ourselves. And we are working urgently and calmly to build our recovery plan, focusing on what needs to happen short term, medium term, and long term to win. We already have developments in the pipeline for the next races - and there will be more to come. But this won't be the work of a moment; there are no silver bullets in F1.

"Second, we will keep our heads held high - and take this journey step by step, together. We are Mercedes. We know the standards we aspire to, and nobody is flinching when we look at the mountain we must climb. It won't be easy - but where's the value in something easy? These are the times when character is forged; the times when a team becomes greater than the sum of its parts, tackling difficult problems and conquering them. We're together through thick and thin - from Toto, Lewis and George, to every single woman and man in the factories in Brackley and Brixworth. And we love that challenge.

"Third, we will be calling on each one of you, too, to power us to the front. Whether you're offering criticism or support, there's a right way to do it - and a wrong way. We want our online community to be a safe space full of healthy debate, where people treat others and are treated with respect - be they team members, Mercedes fans or rival fans. We have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, abuse or bullying of any kind, and will take appropriate action to any comments or posts that do not meet our guidelines. And we want your support to make that a reality throughout our community.

"We're already hard at work on changing the course of this 2023 season. The recovery began immediately after the race - and everybody has a part to play.

"Are you ready to join us for the fight back? If not, then there are no hard feelings.

"If yes, then let's do this."

Claims that Ferrari and McLaren are preparing similar missives for publication in the not too distant future are thought to be groundless, however the Daily Telegraph today carries a feature entitled, At Home with the Horners, in which we are told that "Geri is a force of nature", the words "pain", "panic" and "scapegoat" conspicuous by their absence.

Indeed, less than half-an-hour after Mercedes posted its open letter online, Red Bull posted a picture of its trophy haul from last weekend, along with the message "Leaving Bahrain with a whole load of..."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 14/03/2023 0:21

"@Defiant...I can understand your dissatisfaction with F1 but only to an insignificant degree. This is a new season and it looks, prima facie, that we may have an exciting season in front of us. There is no going back to past glories and what we see is what we get...but it's always F1, no matter what guise it is being shown under. Bahrain was very good and a welcome start, boosted by the absence of the cringeworthy 'knees' and other unwelcome distractions. With some luck the 'reds' and the 'greens' can get their acts together and give us some more action at the top table but MaxBull will be a tough nut to crack. One can always live in hope...which is stronger than rope and cheaper than dope! hahaha"

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2. Posted by Defiant, 13/03/2023 20:30

"@kenji, yeah a bet against RB would be financial suicide. I don't have confidence in AM to stage a consistent threat and lets be honest, Ferrari has Fred guiding them now so you may be correct, but I wonder if he can alone manage to keep them away from the self sabotage they have been doing for years. (much to my pleasure I have to admit). We certainly need a challenge from more than 1 team otherwise it'll be as dull as last year or the majority of seasons under Mercs runaway success. At least we had Nico putting up a fight for a while during that, but I'm predicting a Max runaway again this year. I doubt my TV will be tuned to a single race this year longer than the Youtube highlights show."

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3. Posted by kenji, 13/03/2023 10:55

"@ Defiant....Ferrari will, I expect, lift their game soon and together with AM will provide some much needed excitement at the top table. AM really need to prove that they are a genuine contender and not a one shot wonder...which they are ATM. Mercedes will kick back but how successful that will be is still in the too hard basket. We do need at least two possibly three races to get some sort of definitive directions and only then will we see who has the goods to go all the way. All that aside, to bet against the RB would be a courageous move....."

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4. Posted by Chester, 13/03/2023 10:50

"@didaho. You are correct Mercedes did win WCC in 2021. My glee at having them fall down the order got the best of me. The season is young and last year at this time some thought Haas might do well.

I am taking my glee while I can get it."

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5. Posted by Defiant, 12/03/2023 19:15

"I don't think you can call it knee jerk reactions when (from an outsiders perspective) it's been going wrong for over a year.

Maybe I'm wrong and its a whole fresh set of problems, but to me it looks like remnants of the existing ones.

Quit with the ego fellas.... just get on with changing things. The sport needs more than one team running away with all the silverware."

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6. Posted by didaho, 12/03/2023 13:51

""Why after losing the last two years would Mercedes think they would be top dog in 2023?"
They won 2021."

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7. Posted by kenji, 12/03/2023 0:47

"I forgot to mention that Wolff missed an opportunity to set the record straight regarding the GOAT's past incorrect declaration when questioned by the media in Barcelona a mere 12 months ago. When asked if he feared, at any time, that the team might make a mistake and give him a car that could not win him a championship, he responded by categorically stating, 'My team don't make mistakes'. Perhaps a 'volte face' is in the offing ...or is that a step too far?"

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8. Posted by kenji, 12/03/2023 0:23

"What a load of tosh, fully wet. Full of overused cliches and motherhood statements that simply fill a space, devoid of any originality. All they had to say, if anything ATPIT, was,
'It appears we messed up in a major way. Those responsible will either be cautioned or fired. We will try harder in the future,'"

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9. Posted by Chester, 11/03/2023 11:00

"Apparently this is a serious article. Why after losing the last two years would Mercedes think they would be top dog in 2023? A sense of entitlement?

Reminds me of the McLaren era of 10 years ago where week after week they were promising prosperity (competitiveness) was right around the corner."

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No "panic or kneejerk reactions" vows Mercedes

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