The Formula One season is on its course in full swing. Five races are already done for, with team Red Bull clinching all five wins. But looks like a change in the air is coming up as other teams, including Mercedes and Ferrari, are more than desperate to bring their upgrades in the upcoming Grand Prix in Imola.
Yes, you heard it right. Mercedes is ready to unleash their major upgrade of the season so far. Reportedly, the team has almost built another car in the form of a new W14. And as the Silver Arrows explained, this upgrade will not only help increase the car’s speed for the lap time. The upgrades will also bring some new parts in order to return to the battle for the ultimate title.
Mercedes Praying For “Situation Reversal” After Imola Upgrade
Last year, just when FIA introduced the new regulations, Mercedes saw the biggest slump in the history of motorsport. The entire season poofed away from their hands in order to understand the problem. And when the team realized the core issue, it was too over. This year as well, the Silver Arrows are struggling even to challenge the front runners. Only Lewis Hamilton was able to secure a single podium this year at the Australian GP. However, team Mercedes announced at the start of the season itself that they will introduce some significant upgrades at the Emilian Romagna Grand Prix in Imola. And finally, fans are due to witness what magic the German manufacturer has brought for them.
Recently, Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin revealed the reasons for the upcoming upgrades. As they hope, the new W14 will hopefully be quicker than expected. It should also be better in terms of qualifying and race pace. Shovlin also clarified that Mercedes is not just expecting a lap time update. They are looking to head off in a different development direction to give them a better chance in the long term.
“In essence, how it is in terms of handling for the drivers to drive. What we will be bringing to the track in Imola is the first step of that work,” said the Mercedes engineer.
As per Andrew Shovlin, the Silver Arrows knew as early as the pre-season testing that they couldn’t expect much from the W14 car. They were aware that the car wasn’t able to fight Red Bull for the championship. And that is why the upgrade scenario came in motion. Moreover, the Silver Arrows are hoping to bring other updates later in the year so that they can challenge the frontrunners for race wins and world championships.