Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta has explained why the team’s latest W17 upgrade has proved difficult to optimise, despite delivering the expected increase in aerodynamic downforce.
The Brackley outfit introduced its second major development package of the season at Sepang, Malaysia, before running a comparison between the old and new configurations in Singapore. Resta has now outlined the challenges Mercedes faces ahead of Austin, while revealing why the team previously decided against developing the so-called Macarena wing.
Mercedes insists Malaysia upgrade was the right decision
Mercedes faced questions over its decision to introduce a major upgrade package in Malaysia, particularly after the new components created difficulties for the team. However, Resta maintained that bringing the developments to the track as early as possible was the correct approach.
“I think it was the right decision to introduce the package in Malaysia. We always try to bring updates as soon as possible to get the most out of them,” Resta explained.
Sepang presented an unusually demanding environment, with high temperatures, unpredictable weather and significant tyre degradation. According to Resta, those conditions made it difficult to establish whether the gains observed in Malaysia would translate to other circuits.
“Unfortunately, Malaysia is very different from the usual circuits. Different asphalt, variable conditions: it can be very hot and then suddenly rain. High ambient temperatures and very high tyre degradation. It’s a somewhat extreme circuit compared to the average. You don’t know if what you measure there will be repeated elsewhere.”
Despite the difficulties, Mercedes remained confident in the package’s underlying potential. The team therefore decided to conduct a direct comparison in Singapore to better understand its behaviour.
“We left confident we were competitive, but without having seen the progress the simulations predicted in those conditions,” Resta said.
“So we had a doubt: the best way to resolve it is to do a test, as soon as possible. We decided to try it in the next race, to understand the package and see if it produced what we expected.”
George Russell made himself available to help with the evaluation, with Resta praising the British driver’s commitment to the team’s development programme.
Why Mercedes struggled to optimise its latest upgrade
The objective behind the latest package was straightforward: increase downforce and improve overall performance. Initial measurements confirmed that Mercedes had achieved the first part of that goal, but the resulting aerodynamic balance proved more complicated than anticipated.
“As a first approximation, we wanted more performance and more downforce, and we measured more downforce,” Resta explained.
“But it’s not a black-and-white issue. There are many variables. The additional downforce may not be present equally in all operating conditions of the car, altering its balance.”
The front end of the W17 proved more effective than expected, creating a more forward aerodynamic balance. Although this represents a potential performance gain, it also requires Mercedes to adjust the car’s operating window and mechanical set-up.
“The first thing is that we’re measuring more downforce and a balance that’s more forward than expected. The front end performed better than expected, and that’s positive. We need to refocus the operating window, revise the car mechanically, and correct some characteristics that emerged with the package.”
Comparing the results from Malaysia and Singapore was also complicated by the differences between the circuits. Tyre warm-up, sliding, grip levels, aerodynamic requirements and drag all influence how the car behaves.
The Singapore Sprint weekend further restricted the team’s opportunities to experiment. With limited running, changing weather and parc fermé regulations limiting subsequent set-up changes, Mercedes had relatively little time to understand the new package fully.
The team must also account for the W17’s aerodynamic drag, which was already a significant characteristic of the car before the latest upgrade.
Austin presents another challenge for Mercedes
Mercedes now faces the task of adapting its understanding of the revised W17 to the Circuit of The Americas in Austin. The Texas venue presents a very different combination of demands from Singapore, particularly through its fast opening sector and long straights.
“We also need to adapt it to Austin, which is very different from Singapore. The first sector is very fast, the long central straight where aerodynamic drag is important, then medium and slow corners,” Resta said.
Tyre management will be another major consideration, with overheating, degradation and wear expected to influence performance. The circuit’s bumpy surface also presents additional complications for suspension and set-up.
“There will be significant overheating, degradation, and tyre wear. Furthermore, it’s a bumpy track, not particularly flat, which tends to move. The requirements are very different.”
Mercedes therefore needs to establish whether the additional downforce can be retained without compromising the car’s balance or increasing its weaknesses in other areas.
“We need to understand the package and optimise it in new operating conditions. These are complex problems in a rapidly changing environment, where the team’s experience and skills make the difference. That’s the exciting part of our job.”
The findings from Austin should provide another important indication of how effectively Mercedes can extract performance from its latest development.
Why Mercedes rejected the Macarena wing
Resta also offered an explanation for Mercedes’ decision not to introduce the so-called Macarena wing, an aerodynamic concept that has attracted attention as teams explore ways to reduce drag.
The deputy technical director revealed that Mercedes had considered the idea more than a year ago, but ultimately concluded that its disadvantages outweighed the potential benefits.
“I’ll probably say something we hadn’t shared yet. We had a wing like this on our drawing boards over a year ago. We studied the concept carefully.”
“It clearly reduces aerodynamic drag, but it also reduces downforce when the system is deployed. At the time, we didn’t feel the overall compromise justified the investment in component development and production.”
The decision is not necessarily permanent, however. Mercedes continues to monitor rival solutions and could revisit the concept if further development changes the balance of benefits.
“It’s not a final decision, though: we might reconsider it. We’re staying humble, evaluating every solution we’ve seen from others, and asking ourselves if there’s anything useful we can adopt.”
For now, Mercedes’ priority is to understand its existing upgrade package and resolve the balance issues that emerged in Malaysia and Singapore. Whether the team can unlock the anticipated performance gains in Austin will be an important test of its development direction.
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Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
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