Clearly, the Mercedes W14 has a lot of problems. With each passing race, the team is able to find one issue after another. After the first race of the season in Bahrain, the Brackley-based team’s principal Toto Wolff figured out that the car lacked downforce. In the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the car was draggy. In Australia, Lewis Hamilton complained that the cockpit position of the W14 was wrong. It is placed too far front from the center. According to the Briton, “It feels like you are sitting on the front wheels,” which really changed the attitude of the car.
The W14 car was developed under the guidance of the technical director Mike Elliott, and everyone said Mercedes needed to think differently, so they changed the man. Now instead of Elliott, James Allison is working with different thinking. But it will still take another season to develop something new. Looks like the Silver Arrows are just a latecomer! However, the German team never forget to learn from their mistakes. So far, the problems of the W14 care pointed out by the drivers have been considered. And according to them, new upgrades are coming.
The very first change in design in terms of a major upgrade to the Mercedes W14 is a B-spec Machine. In the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Mercedes will bring a new concept to the car that might, let’s hope, bring them on the front foot. Toto Wolff and the technical director of the team have suggested some of the benefits they are expecting from the upgrade they are launching ahead of the Imola weekend.
Toto Wolff And James Allison Explain How The Upgrade In Imola Will Make Changes
Without being optimistic, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff tried to manage everyone’s expectations. He did not claim everything to get fine after the upgrade. But he explained how a particular area of the car may perform better. According to the boss, the “ride control” will be the main focus of the team.
Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Wolff came to the realization that despite a major upgrade, Mercedes should not try to compete with Red Bull at this time. Instead, their focus is on the upcoming Imola race. However, he did not want to give fans false hope and stated that they are not specifically targeting Red Bull but rather using them as a benchmark. Wolff also mentioned that a new suspension and aero upgrade, with changes to the floor design, will be implemented at Imola.
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Speaking of the other areas where there will be a change, the technical director James Allison acknowledged that “It will help to underlie the balance of the W14, ultimately making it easier to drive.” He already has mentioned that the downforce lacking issue is being overlooked. So now, the team is trying to fix the RIDE. Wolff considers this will let the car be the “least sh*ttiest” under the ground floor effects. According to Allison, “Mercedes W14 will be more about the ride control than the sheer downforce of the car.”
In the entire interview, Wolff sounded frustrated about the new regulations of ground floor effects. He claimed that ground effect cars to be sh*t, and “Who has the least shitty car wins. Isn’t it?” said Wolff.
