Mercedes presents its 2023 F1 car, the W14. The Mercedes team has unveiled its W14, its new weapon for the 2023 Forula 1 world championship, which will be driven this season by British driver Lewis Hamilton and his compatriot George Russell. With images now available of the new car, experts have immediately spotted new unusual features to compliment the continuation of the ‘zero-pod’ concept from last year. A potential loophole?

On Wednesday 15 February, the Mercedes team unveiled the W14, the car that will compete in the 2023 F1 World Championship, at a live event in Silverstone.

 

After a complicated 2022 season for the German manufacturer’s team, which only managed one win and a third place in the constructors’ championship, this W14 will have the tough task of helping Mercedes fight for the world title again this season after an era of dominance between 2014 and 2021.

The W14’s livery is a big surprise this season with the disappearance of the silver dress and the return of a “full black” livery on Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s car, while the green of the team’s title sponsor, Petronas, is obviously still present.

 

 

‘Zero Pod’ remains

On the technical side, we’ll have to wait to see this W14 on track in Bahrain to discover all the new features as the most interesting parts have been carefully hidden by Mercedes for this presentation although the “zero sidepod” design has obviously been kept this year.

“Our hopes and expectations are always to be able to fight for a world championship. However, our competitors were very strong last year, and we have to catch up,” said Toto Wolff on Wednesday at the Mercedes W14 presentation.

“Racing at the front requires resilience, teamwork and determination. We take on every challenge, we put the team first and we will spare no effort in the hunt for every millisecond. This year we will do everything we can to be back in front.”

“Last year was difficult, but it was a learning experience. I hope 2023 will be proof that we have understood how to solve the problems and improve the car’s package.”

 

 

Mercedes W14 2023 image gallery

 

 

Mercedes needs to return to the sharp end

The Mercedes team is aiming to return to the top of F1 this year with a W14 developed on the basis of the temperamental W13. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff hopes that 2023 will prove that his team has understood how to solve the problems encountered last year with the W13.

The German manufacturer hopes to return to the top after a very complicated 2022 season in which Mercedes only managed one Grand Prix victory in Brazil and finished third in the constructors’ championship.

With the W14, which is a true evolution of its predecessor, Mercedes has tried to retain the qualities of the W13 while eliminating its weaknesses.

 

“Our hopes and expectations are still to be able to fight for a world championship. However, our competitors were very strong last year, and we have to catch up,” said Toto Wolff on Wednesday at the presentation of the Mercedes W14.

“Racing at the front requires resilience, teamwork and determination. We take on every challenge, we put the team first and we will spare no effort in the hunt for every millisecond. This year we will do everything we can to be back in front.”

“Last year was difficult, but it was a learning experience. I hope 2023 will be proof that we’ve figured out how to solve the problems and improve the car’s package.”

 

“The W13 certainly had performance that we never managed to unlock by putting all its downforce on the ground, although our car performed very well at the end of the season.”

“However, we still had the notorious bounce on some circuits, which limited the drivers in their ability to really attack. [With the W14] we tried to retain all the qualities of the W13 and address its weaknesses.”

 

The images of the W14 provided by Mercedes on Wednesday are only digital renderings and it is likely that the final version of the car will not be seen until winter testing in Bahrain, but keen eyed experts have already spotted some potential loopholes the Mercedes engineers have exploited.

 

 

Mercedes aero ‘loophole’ discovered?

Mercedes have returned to a controversial and banned ‘outwash’ concept, the primary idea behind Formula 1 aerodynamic concept since the 2009 Brawn GP001 which saw Jenson Button dominate the field and take the championship.

Since then, all teams have tried to follow this idea of moving huge volumes of air away from the sides of the car, primarily by using sculpted front wings. 

The FIA and Formula 1 have since attempted to steer teams away from this by introducing the 2022 regulations that saw Mercedes drop the ball when the rules mandated ‘ground effect’ downforce, and minimising ‘outwash’. The former known to produce dull racing as it made it impossible for cars to follow closely together and reduced overtaking.

Last year, Mercedes added sculpted parts to their W13 front wing to encourage an outwash effect whilst they struggled to find speed in a dire season of poor performances. The FIA were quick to ban such devices and the team reverted to a normal front wing.

 

 

Since then, ‘clarification’ of the rule has allowed teams to return to these outwash wings. Ferrari too have added the new wing type to their 2023 car launched earlier this week which could have similar outwash properties.

 

In essence, Mercedes have managed to ingeniously connect the front wing to the end plate slot, keeping the concept alive after FIA banned it for this season.

As well as the front wing, Mercedes have continued on with their ‘zero-pod’ side pod concept, and potentially found another loophole in the bodywork area next to these side pods.

 

 

Experts say that the channel in this bodywork is likely to do with cooling, but we could also see that cooling air being used to enhance the downforce of the rear lower wing (beam wing), or even the exit of the powerful diffuser exit area.

Time will tell as to whether these innovations will allow Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to challenge at the sharp end this season.

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