History is not in Mercedes' favour. When a team has missed the boat on technical matters, it is almost always a matter of waiting until the next rule change before it can play a significant role again. In just over a year and a half from now, that moment will be here. Although the rules for 2026 and beyond have not been fully crystallised by the FIA, the direction is clear. For teams, it may be tempting to sacrifice the 2025 season for that.