The finest technical minds develop an F1 car, daunting the laws of physics. The F1 racing machine is capable of revving through the circuit like a storm, engulfing all the power. However, the rigorous process of designing and creating a racing machine doesn’t always yield favorable results. Even after months of meticulous detailing, a car might still not perform as the team desires.
This was the case with Mercedes’ F1 prospect since th beginning of the ground effect. The F1 vehicle had issues in every domain, making it impossible to fix. However, after two years of back-and-forth research, the team has discovered the code. Thus, the team’s trackside engineer, Andrew Shovlin, hinted at the nuances of their 2025 F1 project.
Mercedes To Navigate The Car Development Under The Cost Cap
2025 will be the last year of the ground effect era, giving the teams one last chance to use it perfectly. Mercedes’ current F1 car, the W15, is finally working accurately. Despite being far from the World Title contention, the team is getting the desired results. However, the Silver Arrows will introduce ‘significant changes’ to the 2025 F1 car regardless of this year’s outcome. Andrew Shovlin gave a sneak peek into the Mercedes strategy for the upcoming season. During a tech talk with media outlets, Shovlin said the team has yet to decide on the changes to the chassis, gearbox, etc. The volume of changes will depend on the cost cap, as Shovlin believes altering everything is not feasible.
In the current season, the W15 appears quick and responsive. Further, both drivers are enjoying the ride with the W15, as it is now easy to control. Therefore, the upcoming project will be a cousin of the current F1 car. It’ll broadly evolve from the current modifications, allowing the team to make slight changes. The British engineer acknowledged this fact as he agreed the majority of the teams would go for an evolution of their existing project. Ultimately, he claimed the changes might be significant, but the architecture would remain almost identical. Moreover, changing the entire design might invite several issues, jeopardizing the season. Therefore, Sholvin feels no one would opt for a radical design renovation.
“They Were Young,” Wolff Revisits Hamilton And Rosberg’s Angry Radio Messages
Mercedes dominated the circuit in the 2014 regulation era with two fierce young talents like Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. However, it was an intense situation for the Mercedes team, as Toto Wolff highlighted the angry radio exchange between the two iconic drivers.
The intra-team rivalry between Rosberg and Hamilton remains one of the most entertaining face-offs. While Hamilton secured victories in 2014 and 2015, Rosberg managed to surpass him in 2016. According to Toto Wolff, the two shared some furious radio messages. Hamilton and Rosberg used to take out their frustration on each other if anything went wrong. Wolff recently played some of the old radio chimes, and both drivers reacted shockingly. However, the Mercedes chief claimed it is understandable as they were young and passionate about racing.
