The Mercedes team has had a mixed season until the Italian GP. With eight more races, the team would like to add more wins to its tally. However, a problematic floor update is keeping them at bay. The floor was introduced in the Spa race, which was a blunder. The car behaved weirdly, and the floor had to be scrapped off for the Saturday-Sunday events. As a result, the Silver Arrows got the best result of the season with a 1-2 podium finish. Despite George Russell’s DQ, Lewi Hamilton was crowned as the champion.
However, the Andrew Sholvin-led technical crew was adamant about reintroducing the floor upgrade, which was installed after the summer break at Zandvoort. Consequently, Hamilton failed to qualify for Q1, while Russell trailed behind the top teams. Now, both drivers have voiced their opinions regarding a problematic floor setup.
The Mercedes Drivers In Split Over The Floor-Update Conundrum
Lewis Hamilton voiced skepticism over Mercedes’ recent performance, implying that other variables were at play. He admitted that the problems may be track-specific or caused by a recent update, although he believed the latter was the more likely culprit. Hamilton noted that the team planned to resort to some prior settings over the weekend to determine the source of the problem. His main worry was that knowing this would influence not just the current car’s development but also next year’s design.
Meanwhile, Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, looked less concerned. He noted that Formula One is now more competitive than it has been in a decade, with multiple teams capable of competing for top results. Russell emphasized that even a few tenths off the pace may alter finishing positions. He stressed that previous dips in form could readily be reversed with minor adjustments in racing circumstances, implying that a podium result was within reach if events had played out differently. According to Russell, even little mistakes can lead to disappointing outcomes unless teams have a faultless weekend.
Nonetheless, the German Marque had a massive task beforehand. The team needs to bounce back after a couple of sluggish performances. The team’s technical chief, Andrew Shovlin, works closely with his crew to understand the core issue. Moreover, the Silver Arrows are analyzing the data to fix the issues as early as possible.
Mercedes To Step Over The Faulty Floor For The Baku Showdown
According to a report by Autosport, Mercedes might ditch the faulty floor upgrade for the Baku weekend. Instead, the team will collect all the data throughout the weekend to improve the outcome. Moreover, the Silver Arrows will use an upgraded diffuser, beam wing, front wing, and slightly adjusted Halo.
