A Formula One car depends on several factors, including physics, engine, chassis, and tyres. Thus, a fault in any of these could result in an unresponsive car. Technical teams work day and night to get the most out of a racing machine. Meanwhile, the 2024 tyre rules have been a trending topic. According to the FIA guidelines, a team could only use five compounds throughout the weekend.
However, managing the tyres in a mega season with 24 races is draining. As a result, several teams have to face tyre issues, hindering the overall performance. The Mercedes team is on the list, too, with a tyre temperature issue. The trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin opened up about the challenges and the solution to this entire clutter.
Downforce Resolved Whilst Tyre Temperature Plague Mercedes
The Italian company Pirelli has been manufacturing F1 tyres since 2011. The firm has tried various configurations to provide the best experience to racers and viewers. In 2024, Pirelli developed five compounds, one short of the 2023 compounds. Thus, tyre management becomes a crucial task during intense weekends. Further, the Silver Arrows are struggling to fix the tyre temperature issues. While W15 runs rapidly in colder conditions, it loses pace in higher temps. According to Andrew Shovlin, this is among the biggest concerns for the squad, hindering its progress. As the tyre is gaining extra temperature, keeping it cool during warm conditions will be difficult. Therefore, the drivers would grapple with balancing issues if the problem persists.
Meanwhile, Shovlin accepted that the tyres are warmer than the other teams, which could be a positive in cold conditions. However, it also has some severe downsides in warmer conditions. The British engineer highlights the need to fix this issue but acknowledges that it won’t be solved with a single aero update. Subsequently, the team would require a series of developments to resolve the problem gradually. Moreover, Shovlin has discarded the theory of less downforce contributing to this issue, using the Silverstone triumph as an example to validate his point. He further explained that pulling away in the first run would have been nearly impossible if the downforce had been less than McLaren or Red Bull. Additionally, he referred to the smaller drag window, leaving few options for the team. However, he claimed the team would continue to work on increasing the downforce, but the primary focus was on the rear tyre temperature issue.
Mercedes Gains Momentum After A Disappointing Start To 2024
While the tyre issue might hold back the German Marque, it has still made a significant leap. With ambitious development plans started in Monaco, the Brackley-based outfit has improved its performance.
According to a report by SmilexTech, the W15 has gained four tenths in qualifying pace. In comparison to Red Bull, it has also gained seven tenths in the weekend race. Therefore, if the technical crew could fix the temperature issue, Mercedes would have a fair chance to replace McLaren at P2 at the end of the season.
