Mercedes are striving for some “very ambitious targets” in the developmental phase of their 2024 car, revealed team chief Andrew Shovlin. The Silver Arrows, eight-time constructors’ champions between 2014-2021, have endured a difficult two years languishing behind runaway leaders Red Bull. The team originally persevered with a unique “no-sidepod” design before ditching it in May this year, reverting to a more orthodox approach. However, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have still been some way off the stellar pace set by Max Verstappen out in front – and Mercedes trackside engineering director Shovlin now already has an eye set on 2024. “We are changing the car quite considerably for next year,” he said, at the Japanese Grand Prix. “Whether or not we can solve all the issues that we’ve got on the handling, that will depend on a number of projects delivering. “Those projects are underway. They are not complete, but we have got some good directions to try and improve that.” Shovlin added that Mercedes, unlike this year’s inconsistent W14 car, would not be “clinging onto any concepts that we’ve had before” following a “chastening couple of years.” He details: "The car will be different. We have made a lot of changes to it but it’s very early in the development of the new car to be able to say we’ve got it sorted. "When we launched our best cars, 2015 or 2019, those years, we didn’t know they were going to be great cars when we developed them, you are just working as hard as you can trying to find as much performance as you can. "On a lot of those cars, we missed targets by quite a chunk in terms of performance but what we do know is that if you don’t set very ambitious targets, you’re probably not setting them high enough." Mercedes have won just once since the 2021 season – when George Russell took his maiden F1 win in Brazil last November – and are currently in a battle with Ferrari to finish second in the constructors’ championship after Red Bull secured their crown at Suzuka. In the drivers’ standings, Hamilton is looking to haul in second-placed Sergio Perez, with Verstappen set to secure his third straight title in Qatar this weekend. Both Hamilton and Russell signed new contracts until the end of the 2025 season last month. Read More F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Andretti F1 team entry bid accepted by FIA Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Andretti F1 team entry bid accepted by FIA Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Daniel Ricciardo fitness update ahead of Qatar Grand Prix

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Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz saw off Max Verstappen by just 0.013 seconds to take pole position for the Italian Grand Prix. The Spaniard outgunned Red Bull’s Verstappen to the delight of the Ferrari faithful with Charles Leclerc third in the other scarlet car. George Russell finished fourth with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton only eighth on an underwhelming afternoon for the seven-time world champion. Verstappen, who is bidding to become the first driver in history to win 10 consecutive races, trailed the Ferrari duo heading into the final runs at Monza’s sun-cooked Temple of Speed. But the double world champion appeared to have delivered the goods when he usurped both men with his last lap after he had made a rare mistake in his first run by kicking up gravel on the exit of Variante Della Roggia. However, Sainz, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Friday and has been speedy all weekend here, sent the tifosi wild by pipping Verstappen in the closing seconds. Leclerc finished third, just 0.067 sec back in a nip-and-tuck qualifying session. Both Ferrari men faced an investigation by the stewards after they were alleged to have driven too slowly on their warm-up laps in Q1. The rule was updated on Saturday morning to avoid congestion and the possibility of accidents owing to the traffic. But the stewards confirmed in the moments after Sainz’s pole that neither the Spaniard nor Leclerc would face further action. Hamilton endured a difficult day, 48 hours after signing a new deal to extend his stay on the grid for another two years. The seven-time world champion is on a run of 35 races without a victory and he does not appear any closer to ending his barren streak. The Briton managed to haul his Mercedes into Q3 after he complained he was lacking grip, before suggesting he had been impeded by Red Bull’s Perez. But he failed to make an impression at the very sharp end of the grid in Q3 after he qualified half-a-second behind Sainz and two tenths adrift of team-mate Russell. Sergio Perez took fifth, while London-born Alex Albon, one of the standout performers of the season so far, impressed again. While rookie team-mate Logan Sargeant was knocked out of Q2 in 15th, Albon not only progressed to the final phase but also saw off both McLarens, Hamilton and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso as he outperformed his modest Williams machinery to qualify sixth. Oscar Piastri qualified seventh, two spots ahead of team-mate Lando Norris with Alonso 10th. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Carlos Sainz’s pace in practice gives Ferrari fans hope for Italian Grand Prix How Max Verstappen equalled Sebastien Vettel’s record for consecutive race wins Max Verstappen reveals Sebastian Vettel prediction as he closes on GP record run

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