Miami’s Sunday event is on the horizon, marking the end of the first quarter of the 2024 season. The storyline till now has been the replica of the last season as Red Bull extends their dominance while other teams are the chasing packs. However, in the hope of overtaking the RBR’s racing machine, all the teams have released the ‘show and tell’ document. Apparently, McLaren and Mercedes have made some significant changes, while others implemented slight tweaking.
Mercedes has been grappling with inconsistent performance, failing to secure top spots. Star driver Lewis Hamilton is facing his worst start to a season since his debut. In contrast, McLaren, the Mercedes customer, is in a more favorable position. Their drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, are currently in the fifth and sixth spots, with Norris even securing a podium finish at the recent Australian GP. This sets the stage for an intriguing comparison of the two teams’ strategies and their potential impact on the race results.
All The Teams Have Released Their Upgrade List
The FIA has released the ‘show and tell’ document ahead of the Miami GP. While most teams have opted for a conventional approach, McLaren and Mercedes have introduced significant modifications. Mercedes, in particular, has focused on resolving their ‘underlying’ balance issue. Drawing lessons from their performance in Shanghai, the team has shifted their focus to the sprint rather than the Sunday race. They’ve upgraded the floor and front suspension and made two track-specific changes for Miami. These include altering the geometry of the roof and floor to improve frontal floor loading and opting for a smaller chord wing to enhance balance across the lower-drag rear wing.
On the other hand, McLaren has made drastic changes from nose to tail. Firstly, they’ve reshaped the bodywork and engine with a sidepod inlet in conjunction with a new underfloor. Moreover, the technical team introduced a new front wing, upgraded front suspensions, and different front brake ducts to attain better flow control. McLaren CEO Zak Brown states that Lando Norris will steer the ‘full upgrades’ while Oscar Piastri’s specs are ‘light upgrades.’
Apart from Mercedes and McLaren, teams are going with a slight update. Red Bull removed a small section for weight-saving reasons. At the same time, Aston Martin made circuit-oriented changes. Moreover, Williams improved its balance at the maximum downforce levels. In the end, RB, Sauber, and HAAS played with the bodywork and diffuser as part of their upgrade package.
Mercedes Woes Continue While McLaren Shows Signs Of Improvement
Despite heavy changes, Mercedes’ sprint qualifying was disappointing. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell missed out on SQ3. ‘I’ve got nothing,’ the seven-time world champion said on the radio after a harrowing Friday performance. The Silver Arrows would expect a better result on the Sunday race, although the chances look dim. The team consistently fails to fix the underlying issues despite their persistent efforts.
However, there was an apparent dichotomy in the performance between the Mercedes customer, McLaren. Lando Norris will start from P9 during the sprint, while Oscar Piastri stand three spots ahead. The team is improving with every race, but Norris feels they should have capitalized on the soft tires. Alas, the Sunday event will bring a ray of hope for Mercedes as the team finds itself amidst a puddle of miseries.