By Joe Murphy
Mercedes are in potential turmoil after announcing expansion plans that are set to have major impacts on the surrounding area of which they are based. As a result, there is a chance these developments could be postponed or, even worse, cancelled altogether.
Plans to replace the Lauda Drive entrance currently used by the team will be put forward to West Northamptonshire Council on the 9th of January. A decision is expected to be reached withing a day or two. There are thoughts that if these plans are rejected, it could set the team back vastly in their quest to regain the Constructors Championship.
And they could very well be rejected.
The team, based in Brackley, Northamptonshire, have left locals worrying over a planning application that has left concerns on exaserbating heavy traffic during key hours.
The concerns of residents are understandable to some degree. If there are hundreds of cars early in the morning and then again late at night trying to enter, this will disrupt the tranquillity for locals.
There are more, however, more upgrades planned by the team. Such as expanding into new building space, increasing on-site parking and plans over the next half a decade to increase total workforce by 500 people. Will all these efforts close the ever-growing gap to Red Bull, only time will tell. Mercedes would be wise to get the locals on side to make their start of the season go more smoothly.
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