After stumbling in the first five races of the 2022 championship, Mercedes finally appeared to be getting back on track in Barcelona. The Silver Arrows brought in several upgrades to their floor to deal with the most troubling issue of porpoising. With a new floor in place and some upgrades to boost the pace. The Silver Arrows stayed competitive with frontrunners Red Bull and Ferrari.
The Mercedes drivers finished P3 and P5 during the Spanish Grand Prix. George Russell remained in the frontlines throughout, keeping the Red Bulls at bay. He was eventually passed by Verstappen and Perez, resulting in a P3 finish. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton recovered from falling at the back of the track in the opening lap after making contact with Kevin Magnussen. The Briton joined the race at P19 after a pit stop to change his punctured tyre. While aiming for a P8, Hamilton remained persistent. He got his W13 at the front of the field during the latter stages of the race to finish P5.
Hamilton’s performance gave Mercedes the hope that they could be back in the title contention. Andrew Shovlin revealed that the Silver Arrows would bring some new upgrades at the Monaco GP. The street circuit would be challenging for all teams, and Saturday’s qualifying could be the key to winning in a congested street circuit, which limits overtaking. Recent images from the preparations ahead of the Friday practice have revealed the technical changes the German racing team has brought this weekend.
Mercedes’ Modifications For The Monaco GP
The first modification that Mercedes have done is fitting a high downforce rear wing suitable for the Monte Carlo Circuit. The new rear wing is visible in the image as the mechanics prepare the W13 for FP1.
Another angle of the W13 during preparations reveals the arrangement of the sidepod. The tall and narrow inlet can be seen feeding the heavily recessed radiators within the chassis wall.
Moreover, the W13’s front drum brake has been simplified according to the new regulations in 2022.
The Silver Arrows have fitted two metal stays within the splitter section of the W13 between the underside and the chassis to control the bibs’ deflection when making contact with the track.
Moreover, the W13’s front brake duct fence and inlet contain wirework in a channel to prevent debris like tyre marbles from getting collected inside.
Furthermore, a Mercedes mechanic was seen installing a metal floor stay and attaching it to the gearbox casing. Also, a vast quantity of detailing has been done in the radiator casing, power unit installation, floor contouring, gearbox casing, and inboard rear suspension.