What is happening in Mercedes? Fans are frustrated, desperate, and disappointed seeing the team constantly losing since 2022. Apparently, the new year was about to bring new hopes, new ideas, concepts, and new results, better results of racing. But again it is the same as old. No further progress with the W14 can be noticed. It is not porpoised, but it has another set of problems; it lacks in down forcing and matching the pace of others.
At the Bahrain Grand Prix 2023, Mercedes finished with P5 and 7, which remained the worst performance Mercedes has ever seen, as suggested by boss Toto Wolff himself. At any cost, immediate action needed to be taken in the Brackley-based factory. And perhaps the parts where they needed to work have been figured out.
What Does Toto Wolff Think Of Mercedes Development?
The bad news kept surrounding the team, yet they managed to find out a piece of hope. Relinquishment is not something that the Silver Arrows can settle with. Working day and night till the next Grand Prix arrives, Mercedes expects to step between Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin‘s battle.
The places where Toto Wolff thinks it is getting difficult for the Mercedes W14 to handle are the fast corners. And this can get fixed by working on the aerodynamics department of the car. We expected Mercedes to do the aerodynamics job best, but we saw Aston Martin doing the same. Wolff believes that the British team has been doing better with the gearbox and engine provided by Mercedes than team Mercedes itself. Perhaps because the concept that Astons is working on is similar to the reigning champion team Red Bull.
Given this, an idea emerges in Wolff’s mind. Aston Martin raised their dignity and bridged the gap by working on the side pods. So Mercedes, too, will change the design of the front car, even if it takes changing their unique zero pod concept.
The Return Of James Allison Might Fix The W14
Meanwhile, good news in a positive light rises in Mercedes in this dark time. They have brought back James Alison to work on Mercedes’s latest black creation named W14. According to FanNation, James has been the one gun that may kill all the demons of the Silver Arrows. Before Mike Eliott, he has been guiding the team’s technical department. The W11 was also black, but it was worth the title, and this W14, you know it better.
So a hand of Allison may help make it something more like the W11 with which Hamilton took the seventh crown of F1. Now the team will work on increasing the downforce. They will also minimize the dragging issue. They need to correct the side pods and make it something similar to Red Bull. Well, it all depends on the implementation of the ideas and plans. Let’s see if Mercedes would be able to implement it properly.
