2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Saturday – Jiri Krenek
Mercedes faced difficulties in Jeddah last week, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton qualifying in seventh and eighth place, respectively. Russell managed to finish in sixth position, while Hamilton came in ninth. The mood within the eight-time Formula 1 Constructors’ champions was grim as they struggled to understand the design of their new car for the 2024 season. They had chosen a completely different path in terms of design.
Hamilton repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with his car’s performance in the high-speed sections of the track as he struggled to catch up with Lando Norris in the McLaren. Both drivers were on similar tire strategies, but in the end, the McLaren crossed the finish line ahead of the Mercedes.
Reflecting on the team’s struggles in Jeddah, team boss Wolff acknowledged their lack of understanding, stating: “There is something we don’t understand. We are fast in almost every other aspect. We know we have a smaller rear wing, compensating for the loss in corners. However, it is in the high-speed sections where we are losing significant time per lap.”
Wolff expressed concerns about the weaknesses of the W15, emphasizing that the issues go beyond setup errors. He commented: “I believe this is a major concern. We can only adjust so much. Our simulations guide us and we choose a setup range accordingly, including the appropriate rear wing. The performance difference due to setup adjustments may only result in gaining or losing a few tenths of a second. The problem lies in something more fundamental. We expect the speed to be there, we measure the aerodynamic pressure, but this does not translate into lap time.”
Even in the third year of the current regulations, Mercedes continues to struggle to find solutions to the performance issues of their car. Wolff admitted: “For two years, we have been searching for something that needs to be identified and resolved. We need to keep working. It’s not for lack of effort. We are putting immense pressure and will intensify our efforts next week, analyzing more data to gain a better understanding. We will come back to Melbourne stronger. We are determined to overcome this challenge and I am confident that we will reduce the performance gap.”
If Mercedes persists in this pattern throughout 2024, Hamilton will have no regrets about his decision to join Ferrari in 2025.
