The late Niki Lauda might have ended Mercedes' three-year performance slump by now, according to his son Mathias Lauda.
Mathias, reflecting on his father's legacy, believes the issue lies with the car's chassis.
"The most important element in Formula 1 at the moment is the chassis," he told Osterreich newspaper. "The more downforce, the better."
"McLaren has the better package - the engine is the same in both. Mercedes just can't get out of the slump."
Niki Lauda, who passed away at 70 in mid-2019, played a crucial role as a close advisor to team boss Toto Wolff during Mercedes' dominant years.
Mathias Lauda believes Wolff misses his father's relentless approach.
"He would have pestered his people until they found out why the car wasn't working," Mathias said. "He would have simply not let up and would have dug into every last detail."
Former Mercedes executive director Paddy Lowe also commented on the team's struggles.
"Modern F1 is mainly about optimising details," he told Auto Bild. "It's generally difficult to implement major changes. Very difficult to catch up."
"If, for whatever reason, you've lost three, four or six months, you're behind for a long time, even if you're actually doing better. This is the situation Mercedes is currently in."
"And whether the connection can be re-established at all is uncertain. It can even get worse," Lowe added.
As the fifth anniversary of Niki Lauda's passing approaches, Mathias reflects on his triple world champion father's enduring presence.
"He is always there," Mathias said. "Whether I hear a song that reminds me of him or when I think about how he approached his life."
"I am getting older too, and many of his characteristics are coming out in me," he added.
