Mercedes, a German car maker, is having a tough time at the start of the 2024 racing season. Their car, the W15, is sometimes fast but struggles to perform consistently during race weekends.
Drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have described the car’s feeling as “knife-edge” at times. This means it’s difficult to control, and Mercedes hasn’t found the right setup to make the most of its potential.
The team is hoping that adding new aerodynamic parts in the upcoming Miami race will improve the car’s overall performance. They are also planning other changes to the car in the next few races to make it handle better.
James Allison, Mercedes’ technical director, talked about these plans in a video debrief after the Chinese Grand Prix. He mentioned introducing new parts to fix the car’s balance issues.
Allison admitted that even though the team had a decent race in China with both drivers finishing in the points, the overall performance wasn’t up to Mercedes’ standards. He explained that the car has been struggling with its front tires all season, especially in slow corners.
When the front tires don’t grip well, drivers have to wait longer before accelerating out of corners. This slows them down. Sometimes, drivers have to use the throttle aggressively to make the car turn, which puts extra stress on the rear tires.
Allison expressed his disappointment that despite the team’s efforts, the car’s performance hasn’t improved as expected. He also mentioned the need to change their approach to setting up the car during race weekends.
Looking ahead to the Miami race, Allison hopes the upgrades they bring will help Mercedes compete better. He knows that even small improvements can make a big difference in such a competitive sport.
