The German manufacturer was outgunned by McLaren at the British Grand Prix in the battle behind Red Bull, as Lewis Hamilton did not have the pace to overhaul Lando Norris for second spot.
A major overhaul of the W14 introduced at the Monaco Grand Prix had initially appeared to give the squad the uptick in form it felt it needed to fight for wins, but it has failed to build on that early promise.
And as it appears stuck in the chasing pack behind Red Bull, there is a growing acceptance that the team cannot make the changes it wants with the W14 that it feels is essential to close down the deficit to the front.
That is why team boss Toto Wolff thinks the moment is nearing where Mercedes will have to accept that its future is better set throwing all its resources towards what is expected to be a fundamental redesign for next season.
Asked by Autosport at what point that decision will be made, Wolff said “I think pretty soon. We have no choice.
“P2 or P3 fundamentally doesn't impact me and the team. It's about coming back and being able to win a world championship in that respect. That's not going to happen this year.
“So we need to set our eyes to next year and then, at all the races to come, learn and develop, and make sure that we can carry that forward into next year.
“But, having said that, the regulations are the same. So it's not that you're not learning nothing by continuing this car. It's a balance that we have to strike right.”
Source: Autosport