Author: Barkha Roy
Mercedes is set to introduce a series of new updates to its Formula 1 car at the next British Grand Prix, as revealed by team boss Toto Wolff. After abandoning the sidepod zero concept in Monaco, Mercedes achieved good results in Spain and Canada, taking them to second place in the constructors’ standings. However, the team’s focus wasn’t just on challenging Red Bull during these races. Instead, the aim was to establish a basis for future development, and they are now preparing for a significant upgrade package at Silverstone.
Wolff confirmed that Mercedes will be taking a major upgrade package to Silverstone, with another planned before the summer standstill ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of July. He explained that the team’s understanding of the car and its performance has improved a lot since they made changes to the conceptual architecture. The recent upgrades, which include a revised floor, new sidepods and a different front suspension, have given Lewis Hamilton a podium finish in the last two races. These positive results further motivated the team to seek more significant gains.
Mercedes is thrilled with the progress it has made with its upgrade in Monaco. They are particularly pleased with the increased pace at which they are finding performance improvements. The team has a better understanding of the car’s behavior and has been able to align its simulations with the results on the track. This represents a significant improvement compared to the last year and a half, during which they faced challenges in this area. The wind tunnel data also provided promising performance gains.
However, Mercedes recognizes that there is still a considerable gap to fill before they can seriously challenge Red Bull’s dominance. Despite the narrower margin of victory in Canada, team principal Toto Wolff remains cautious. He believes that Max Verstappen, who has been leading the championship, still has a significant advantage. Wolff emphasizes that while it’s encouraging to see Mercedes closing the gap, there’s still work to be done to really put pressure on Red Bull.
Mercedes’ performance in high-speed corners has been an area of concern, and they didn’t expect to perform well in Canada due to the characteristics of the circuit. However, the team remains motivated and determined to close the gap. They are focused on understanding the car’s requirements and optimizing the settings for maximum performance.