Mercedes has only accumulated 52 points in the Constructors’ Championship so far. The team’s performance during the third year of the ground effect era has been far from impressive. Brackley had high expectations for the W15 car during pre-season testing, but its mediocre performance proved to be average in terms of speed. As a result, it was advised that the team focus on the fundamentals of the challenger.
The development of Mercedes’ W15 initially intended to follow a more traditional approach throughout the season. However, its disappointing performance has diminished Brackley’s chances of securing an early runner-up position. It was recently announced that the W15 will undergo several upgrades before the Miami GP, in hopes of maximizing its potential benefits.
Regarding these upcoming upgrades for the Miami GP, there is a feeling of confidence and optimism within the team. British driver George Russell expressed curiosity about the advantages these upgrades would bring to the German constructor. However, Russell also acknowledged that the upgrades would not be a quick fix for the team’s struggling challenger.
Russell emphasized the importance of continuously improving performance and focusing on the fundamentals. The Mercedes team needs to dedicate more time to the wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), while increasing the downforce of the challenger. This increase in downforce would help stabilize the car at higher speeds, addressing a recurring issue faced by the team. Therefore, the path to improving the challenger’s performance is clear for the team.
George Russell made it clear that the team understands the need to increase the downforce on the car. He also highlighted how Mercedes changed their philosophies and concepts during the development of the W15. Therefore, the German team simply needs to go back in the chassis development process and identify what went wrong.
Furthermore, Russell pointed out that the specific concept of developing a challenger is not of great importance. As long as the chassis has sufficient amounts of downforce, it will be enough to achieve better results. Any limitations that may arise from further increasing the downforce can be effectively addressed by the team. Such upgrades would result in immediate benefits for Brackley’s performance in the 2024 season.
Mercedes has high hopes for performance improvement after implementing these upgrades at the Miami GP. Currently sitting in fourth place in the constructors’ championship, the team’s aspirations for the championship title are quickly fading. Therefore, it is crucial for the team to rediscover their winning form and present a formidable challenge to the dominant Red Bulls.
