Since the summer break has ended, the Mercedes team has been walking on a thin wire with the W15’s dip in performance. The W15 crashed a couple of times, leaving the technical team clueless about its behavior. Moreover, the Silver Arrows had already given up on hoping to win another race in the 2024 season, as the car was too slow.
However, what happened in Las Vegas surprised everyone, including the Mercedes team. The team with almost no aspirations of winning a 2024 race has won a tricky Las Vegas GP. George Russell secured the top spot on the podium starting from the pole. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton showcased exceptional racing skills, climbing from P10 on the grid to secure an impressive P2 finish. While the technical team is elated by the outcome, they’re also puzzled by a sudden uprise.
Mercedes Puzzled By W15’s Surprising Surge In Performance
In a discussion on Mercedes’ post-race Debrief show, James Allison reflected on the team’s surprising performance at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. While the W15 car showcased an impressive pace, leaving many thrilled, Allison admitted that the unexpected results also brought an element of frustration. The team had not anticipated such dominance, which highlighted a gap in their predictive capabilities.
Allison emphasized the importance of understanding why the car performed so well in Las Vegas. While the unusually cold conditions in the desert played a role, he believes there were additional factors at play beyond optimal tire warm-up. This unpredictability for the Mercedes engineering team underscored the need to dig deeper into the performance data to uncover the underlying causes.
Acknowledging the importance of precision in engineering, Allison noted that predicting a car’s behavior is essential to maximizing its potential. He described the need for thorough analysis in the coming weeks to turn this unexpected success into actionable insights. Mercedes aims to build on these findings and integrate them into their future development strategies by identifying what worked so well in Las Vegas.
Toto Wolff Backs Mercedes To Replicate Las Vegas Performance In Qatar
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, acknowledged the team’s advantage from the cold conditions in Las Vegas, which contributed to their standout performance. However, he pointed out that the upcoming race in Qatar presents a completely different challenge, with the Lusail International Circuit featuring high-speed sections and minimal heavy braking zones. Despite the shift in conditions, Wolff remains optimistic about another strong performance from the W15.
He explained that while Las Vegas’ cooler nighttime environment played to Mercedes’ strengths, Qatar’s warmer climate and fast, flowing layout could also suit the car’s design. Circuits with high-speed corners, such as Silverstone and Spa, have historically aligned well with the W15’s capabilities, giving the team hope for a competitive showing.
Wolff tempered expectations by noting that rival teams are likely to bounce back stronger in Qatar compared to Las Vegas. However, Mercedes is focused on optimizing the car’s setup to ensure it can compete at the front. With only two races left in the season, the team is determined to extract every ounce of performance and maintain momentum heading into the finale.