The eight-time constructors champions have found it difficult to crack the ground effect code. Since 2022, the team has managed only three race wins, all of which came within a two-month period this season. Apart from that slight upturn, the Mercedes team has been clueless throughout the season.
As a result, it is no longer the frontrunner and has to take the back seat. The technical team led by James Allison tried their best to replicate a similar performance as Silverstone, but it was simply not possible. Therefore, Toto Wolff has accepted that his team is back to being the ‘underdogs’ due to the lack of pace.
Mercedes Honcho Admits The Team Has Fallen To Fourth In The Grid
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff recently acknowledged that the team has slipped back to being the fourth fastest on the grid, a position marked by recent struggles despite their three victories before the summer break. Wolff stated that Mercedes is returning to an “underdog” role as they grapple with the current challenges in their car’s performance.
The 2024 F1 US Grand Prix was particularly difficult for Mercedes, with issues arising during both qualifying sessions. In the Sprint qualifying, Mercedes drivers appeared competitive, aiming for pole position. However, in the main race qualifying, Lewis Hamilton couldn’t escape Q1, while George Russell crashed, forcing the team to change parts and start him from the pit lane. Reflecting on the race weekend, Wolff noted that, given their current form, Mercedes should no longer expect to enter races as a leading contender, instead acknowledging their position as fourth in line among the teams.
In the race itself, Hamilton’s efforts ended prematurely with an early crash, but Russell managed to finish in the points, benefiting from a strong race strategy. However, Mercedes still struggled to mount a challenge against the top three teams, highlighting the limitations in their car’s current capabilities.
James Allison Analyzes Mercedes’ Flawed COTA Upgrade
James Allison, Mercedes’ Technical Director, reflected on why their promising early performance didn’t carry through the rest of the race weekend. He suggested that the team may have pushed the car’s setup too close to the limit, keeping it very low to the ground. While these F1 cars generally gain lap time from running low, there’s a fine balance: handling can become unpredictable when it’s pushed too far.
Allison explained that this low setup makes the car more sensitive to external factors, such as bumps or gusts of crosswind. A slight misstep, like hitting a bump at the wrong moment, can throw off the car’s balance, particularly the rear, leading to sudden instability. In other words, while the car can deliver impressive performance when conditions align perfectly, this setup can punish the driver if things are slightly off. The British engineer guesses that Mercedes was testing the limits too aggressively, with a ride height and stiffness level that ultimately compromised consistency across the weekend.