Mercedes have struggled with their new W13, built according to the new aerodynamic regulations introduced by the FIA in 2022. The biggest trouble that the Silver Arrows are facing is uncontrollable porpoising. The racing team has been working for months to counter the bouncing issue with no reliable solution so far. Mercedes were forced to increase the ride height of the W13, resulting in a decrease in the downforce and the car\’s crucial performance. The Silver Arrows are currently the third-fastest team across the circuit. However, the racing team has struggled to battle for pace against Ferrari and Red Bull. The upcoming Grand Prix at Miami will be crucial for Mercedes, who plan on bringing some updates to the W13.
Recently, Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, said that the Silver Arrows are looking for some tweaks in the power unit to increase the engine\’s performance. The engine freeze introduced in 2022 has heavily limited the racing teams\’ capabilities of bringing any upgrades to their power units until the end of 2025. Thus, Mercedes are forced to rely on bringing minor changes to their engines to boost some much-needed performance for the team.
Further, Shovlin shared certain aspects that teams can work on to extract more pace from their power units. Moreover, the engineering director said their efforts to boost engine performance would not affect their attempts to upgrade the W13\’s chassis. The chassis has proved to be a problem for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Moreover, George told that he suffered from back and chest pains while driving the car after the race in Imola.
Mercedes Focuses On Improving The Power Unit\’s Reliability
Shovlin revealed that Mercedes is trying to find something to help them increase the W13\’s performance. The British engineer informed that the W13\’s power units are already homologated. And the teams are not allowed to work on their engines. Hence, Mercedes is focusing on improving its power unit\’s reliability. Moreover, Andrew pointed out that engine control mode is an area that is not forbidden to work on by the FIA. Hence, the teams can switch the control modes as they prefer.
Meanwhile, Shovlin acknowledged that the W13 is not perfect. But when the car is not fast according to the expectations, there are many areas with scope for improvement. The engineering director assured that the staff is looking closely at the possibilities of tweaks leading to increased performance in the engine. Moreover, Mercedes is also working on fixing the chassis, which has been troublesome for the two drivers. It will be thrilling to see how the tweaks and upgrades workout out for the Silver Arrows in Miami.