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There is one year, Mercedes made significant changes to its Formula 1 car during the Monaco Grand Prix, abandoning its innovative zero-sidepods. However, these changes did not result in the desired success for the team. In fact, Mercedes is not only struggling to win races, but is also being outperformed by one of its customer teams, McLaren. While McLaren experienced a remarkable turnaround in the last year, Mercedes failed to achieve similar results. The focus on abandoning the zero-sidepods overshadowed the more crucial changes made to the floor, rear brake drums/ducts, and front wing. These modifications aimed to improve the generation of downforce and stability of the car. Despite these efforts, Mercedes continues to lag behind the top three teams – Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren. The team’s recent performance in Imola highlighted its deficiency in race pace, which is currently not being addressed in the wind tunnel. However, there are signs of progress, as Mercedes showed improvement compared to its performance in Imola last year. The team’s car is generally faster than its predecessor, but still lags behind its competitors. The changes to the front wing made in Miami and Monaco demonstrate Mercedes’ ongoing development program, which aims to address the car’s weaknesses in slow corners. The team is focused on consistent and steady progress, rather than seeking a quick fix. Mercedes has identified a fundamental problem that needs to be resolved and is confident that significant progress will be made during the summer break. The team’s ultimate goal is to achieve sustained development and a solid understanding of ground effect machines, which will be crucial for success in the future. Although Mercedes still has much to prove, it is on track to gradually improve its performance and be competitive in the upcoming engine and chassis regulations in 2026. The team’s engine department is highly respected, despite rumors of a “brain drain” to Red Bull. The key question remains whether Mercedes can combine a top-notch engine with a car that can rival its competitors. The work being done now will determine if Mercedes can realistically return to the front of the grid in 2026.
