Mercedes ace driver Lewis Hamilton voiced his concerns with respect to the car, W14’s concept and structural design in 2023. He confirmed a feeling of disconnect with the machinery and barely made it to the end of the season. Not only that, but Hamilton revealed that the engineers had not listened to his inputs the last time around.
According to Lewis Hamilton, he suggested some changes to the W14. But the engineers back in Brackley chose to ignore it, which he believes only added to the team’s disaster campaign. Thus, this time around, the Silver Arrows engineers exercised caution and apparently addressed the Briton’s concerns. Let’s dive into the initial details of W15 ahead of its highly anticipated launch.
Mercedes Adjusts W15’s Cockpit Position Per Lewis Hamilton’s Request!
Mercedes is set to unveil the 2024 F1 season challenger W15 in February. Meanwhile, ahead of the official launch, key details of the structural changes of the machinery have been leaked. As per the leaked report, W15 has no residue of W14 and W13’s aerodynamics. The 2024 F1 Challenger will ditch the ill-fated Zeropod concept, and subsequently, traditional sidepods will be attached to the machinery. Besides, in a major change, the cockpit position of the car will be adjusted as per Lewis Hamilton’s demand. Hamilton complained about his seating position through the 2023 season, which prompted the engineers to tweak the cockpit. Hamilton felt he was sitting way too ahead, which hampered his judgments.
Thus, the W15 cockpit is being pushed further back. Besides, Mercedes will induct a new and lighter gearbox and chassis to the W15. While the pull-rod suspension will stay intact, the rear body will be compact to distribute the weight evenly. These are some of the visual changes that will be seen in the brand-new W15. Apart from this, the car will undergo major aerodynamic changes to ensure that the W15 does not reflect its predecessor by any means. Having said that, while the leaked design details provide a tantalizing preview, fans and experts alike will eagerly await the official launch to gain comprehensive insights into the technical specifications and performance capabilities of the Mercedes W15. The stakes are high for Silver Arrows as they remain under pressure to reduce the gap to Red Bull racing.
Toto Wolff Promises A Brand New Car For 2024 Season!
Ahead of the W15 launch, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that the 2024 season challenger will undergo a complete overhaul. He expects almost every other key component to be replaced. Besides aerodynamics, several other components will also be replaced to keep W15 distinct from its predecessors. However, Wolff issued a caution to its fans over the severity of expectations.
Toto Wolff reckoned that the concept overhaul could be a hit or miss depending on its performance. He remains unsure of its success rate. But Wolff revealed that Mercedes are out of options now. It is either this or nothing. Nonetheless, the team boss has faith in his team. He says the learning gained through the lost season will be put to use while designing the W15. All eyes are on the launch event now.
