The Mercedes F1 team is not having a great time since 2021 ended on a sad note for them. They had a major bouncing problem with the W13 car last year. Apparently, this year was supposed to be a season for redemption, but it did not start very well for Mercedes. It looks like the new W14 car for this season can get better results.
The last race in Australia saw the seven-time champion winning his 192nd podium finish as he won the P2. Albeit, Lewis Hamilton is not happy with the car. After the Australian Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver mentioned the big problem is the seat position of their W14 car. The cockpit is too close to the front wheel. And as a driver, Lewis Hamilton is not comfortable when the seat is too far forward.
New Improvements Aligned For Mercedes’ W14
The seven-time champion also added a comparison to the Red Bull RB19 car. The seat position of the Austrian team’s car is not so close to the front wheel. Hence, Lewis Hamilton mentioned he did not feel connected with the new Mercedes car. But technical officers of Mercedes mentioned that they are working on the development of the car to help gain Hamilton’s confidence. James Allison, chief technical officer of the Brackley team, said, “The engineers back in the factory working night and day on a new suspension system to improve the car.” The technical officer further mentioned that they would be working really hard to find more downforce in the wind tunnel.
The wind tunnel has been a major concern for the Mercedes team this season. The team is planning to add more mechanical parts along with suspension components to find balance in the underlying of the car. In the pre-season tests in Bahrain, it was visible that the car had a problem with balance. But the good news for Mercedes is that they have time to fix the car in the next two races because it is a long season. The problem with Lewis Hamilton is that he is not feeling very confident with the car, and he is not able to push it to the limit. That’s why Red Bull is able to beat Mercedes on the straight line so easily.
The Silver Arrows Needs To Be Wary Of Challenging Race Tracks
The other important aspect is also the track. For instance, the track in Australia and the one in Bahrain are totally different. Perhaps due to a smooth track in Melbourne, the Mercedes W14 car was able to be driven at a faster speed. But in Bahrain, Aston Martin proved they have a more robust and more reliable car than Mercedes.
The team of engineers in Brackley needs to keep in mind the tracking factor as well. They need to get the car more robust and drivable. Until that happens on challenging race tracks like in Bahrain, the Mercedes W14 car will struggle. The team will need to provide Lewis Hamilton with a faster car to help him win the coveted eighth title.