Mercedes won three out of four last races before the summer break as the team reestablished itself in the paddock. However, that stint disappeared after the summer break, as the Mercedes squad again had technical issues. The famous front wing was the biggest plus point for the W15. Moreover, the wing setup allowed the car to be a fraction faster while being well-balanced in every corner.
Despite George Russell’s third-place finish in Azerbaijan, the performance has taken a significant dip. The entire conundrum runs around a floor upgrade that was introduced and scrapped in Spa. However, the team tried to reinstall the floor in Dutch GP, which was a complete disaster. Toto Wolff has announced the new date for a floor upgrade.
Mercedes To Try New Floor Upgrade In United States GP, No Change For Singapore
The new floor upgrade was used in FP1 and FP2 in Spa, but it was then removed as Lewis Hamilton asserted the “car was behaving weirdly.” Andrew Shovlin later clarified that the issue stemmed from the setup, not the upgrade itself. Subsequently, the floor was reinstated in Zandvoort after the summer break. Consequently, the team struggled for consistency, and the car was severely off-pace. Further, the problems crystalized in Monza, as Hamilton finished fifth and Russel was at P8. After this mishap, Wolff explained teh car was better for one lap but failed miserably in the long run. Thus, the Mercedes team had no choice but to revert to the old specification for Baku. Although Russell bagged the podium, Hamilton, with a penalty, had a terrible outing. He claimed his car had a faulty component that jeopradized his race.
Now, moving ahead, the Silver Arrows are puzzled about the W15’s technical aspects. Meanwhile, Wolff revealed the team would use a similar setup for Singapore until the technical crew found a solution. Moreover, a new floor upgrade is expected ahead of the United States GP. According to teh Silver Arrows Chief, the new specifications might improve the car’s balance. However, he wants the team to analyze the data before making any move.
What Is Going Wrong For Mercedes?
Without undermining the team’s achievements, it is crucial to understand the tracks where they won were suitable for W15. Moreover, the conditions also favored the German Marque. At the same time, the Zandvoort track, with its long, slow and medium-speed corners, was a problem for W15. Subsequently, Monza’s high-temperature and slow turns posed a real challenge. It was a similar story in Azerbaijan, with the slow, 90-degree turns making things difficult for Mercedes.
While all the focus is on the floor, Mercedes also has a sensitive car. Thus, its performance tends to shift from session to session. The car’s pace highly depends on the type of tyres used. Therefore, it indicates an underlying balance issue, which could be the root of all the woes.