Huge boost for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as Mercedes W14 reported to be '12 KG lighter than the W13'

Ahead of the 2023 season of Formula 1, reports have suggested that Mercedes' 2023 challenger, the W14, is 12 kg lighter than their previous car, the W13. This clearly means that their 2023 challenger will be much lighter, and therefore faster than its predecessor, which was largely a disappointment for the team.

The reports also state that the team will be bringing back the iconic silver and black livery for the upcoming season. A Tweet from @MF1Motorsports, which posts regular news about the team, read:

"The Mercedes AMG W14 E Performance will have a silver x black livery (not full silver or black livery) based on the latest information. The W14 is 12 KG lighter than the W13 currently, also making the car 3KG underweight." #W14

However, there could potentially be a major problem for Mercedes. Though a whopping 12 kg reduction in weight can make the W14 extremely fast, it is hard to say if the modifications will be in line with the new regulations introduced ahead of the upcoming season.

In 2022, the FIA set 798 kg as the minimum dry weight for cars. However, a relaxation has been introduced for the upcoming season, which has allowed constructors to reduce car weight by another two kilos.

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Possible regulatory trouble for Mercedes W14?

As mentioned above, the new regulations have set 796 kg as the minimum dry weight for 2023 challengers, two less than the previous year. However, as the reports state, the W14 will be 12 kg lighter than the W13, which makes the car underweight by three kilos. This could prove to be a major problem for the team and one that will need to be addressed before the start of the season.

Mercedes' disappointing 2022 season was largely down to the aerodynamics of the W13. The porpoising on straights made them slower than their competitors. However, the pace issue can be resolved by a reduction in weight and the porpoising was already minimal by the end of the 2022 season.

After a tough season for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in 2022, the W14 could possibly be a silver lining for the team. Given their ambitions, the Britons will surely be contenders for the championship and will go bumper-to-bumper against Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the 2023 season.

Hamilton, who is tied with Michael Schumacher for the most world championships (7) in history, will be eyeing his eighth title after being edged out by Verstappen in the last two seasons.