Since the last big Formula One car design rule changes, Mercedes have slipped from their former position of dominance. So poor was their W13 car in 2022 that the incessant bouncing weakened Lewis Hamilton such that he could barely extract himself from the car at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The following year the Mercedes’ W14 appeared to be loved even less by Lewis Hamilton when he revealed after just a handful of races into the season that in his opinion the car would not win races. Further, he he questioned why the Mercedes technical engineers had failed to listen to his advice when designing the car.
Hamilton “input” into new Mercedes car
The new cars for this season have now tested and completed two practice sessions in Bahrain with Lewis Hamilton top of the time sheets on Thursday afternoon. Given the deficit Mercedes had to Red Bull last season, the silver arrows had a mountain to climb to even find parity with the world champions.
Trusting Hamilton’s insight seems to have been the path Mercedes have committed to since technical director Mike Elliot left the team to be replaced by James Allison.
George Russell explained the impact he and Hamilton had on the development of the W25: “Lewis and I have put out a huge amount of work into helping steer the team in the direction we want to go.
“Obviously with Lewis’ experience, the car has been designed around his wishes with the car being sat further rearwards than we were last year, the Red Bull-esque sidepods on the side and a slightly different steering rack.”
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Russell says the team “listened”
Hamilton had ranted last year that the Mercedes W14 meant the drivers “sit closer to the front wheels than all the other drivers. Our cockpit is too close to the front. When you’re driving, you feel like you’re sitting on the front wheels, which is one of the worst feelings to feel when you’re driving a car,” Lewis complained.
“What that does is it really changes the attitude of the car and how you perceive its movement. It makes it harder to predict compared to when you’re further back and you’re sitting closer, more centre. It’s just something I really struggle with.”
Analysis by TJ13 suggested that the cockpit of the Mercedes was not too different in terms of its placement along the car than the all conquering RB19. Yet the aerodynamics and shifts in centre of pressure underneath the car meant Hamilton felt he was disconnected with the back end of the car.
Russell suggests the fact Mercedes’ have listened to Lewis “is good” but cautions “we need to see if that translates into lap time. I think we hit the ground in a good place. But ultimately, there’s only one thing that matters, and that’s the lap time.”
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Hamilton’s team mate concedes, “for me, its a small change, not better nor worse” and “I think as any driver you just need to adapt to whatever you’re given.”
With Russell second in FP2 just 0.206s behind Hamilton there is genuine excitement in the team that they’ve designed a car capable of beating Red Bull Racing. One of the innovations which has caught the eye, was originally questioned as to its legality.
Yet Mercedes explained they had spoken with the FIA as they developed the component and were given the green light for their new interpretation of a rules others failed to spot. Such is the innovation Adrian Newey has commented on its clever implementation as “interesting.”
Speaking about the F1 W15, Sky F1 technical expert Karen Chandhok said: “Mercedes have talked a lot about trying to make the car more driver-friendly, more user-friendly, trying to get rid of the bouncing issue, they have done that.
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Improved rear stability
“They’ve made some changes to try and get some rear stability to the car. But the front wing is still the most sensitive part of the race car.
“It’s the first bit that hits the air as the cars are going through the straight and the corners, so it’s super important. It’s a great bit of innovation and I think we’ll see some other teams doing something similar soon.”
Of course it would be sweet irony for the Mercedes crew were it proven their new W15 car design is better than Ferrari following the announcement that their star seven times champion driver is leaving for Maranello next year.
Red Bull throw a spanner in the works
The front wing if it proves to be a silver bullet will be quickly copied by others and by the third round of the year will reveal their interpretations of Mercedes’ front wing.
A number of the cars on the grid for 2024 appear to have coped the Red Bull design of last season only for the Milton Keynes to surprise the paddock with a brand new concept. The sidepods reflect some of the much criticised Mercedes W13/14 but the car has yet to prove itself in the heat of battle.
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F1 boss breaks silence on Andretti snub
Few issues in the world of Formula One have sparked as much debate in recent times as the rejection of the Andretti team’s bid to join the elite motorsport. Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali is at the centre of the controversy, who recently spoke out for the first time since the decision to deny Andretti entry was made public.
A real snub to the American fledgling F1 team that seemed to garner much support from fans of the sport, the FIA as well as many F1 drivers. The decision, which came as a surprise to many, underlines the complex and sometimes contentious process of expanding F1’s competitive field. It certainly seemed to demonstrate a significant rift between the FIA and the Liberty Media owned Formula One Management company that Domenicalli heads…. READ MORE:
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
