The Brackley team has been facing difficulties with their W154 car, especially with its handling. They’ve been struggling to make the car work well on different types of corners and tracks.
They’re working on updates to improve the car’s performance for their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. One of these updates is a new floor, originally planned for a different race, but now fast-tracked for the Miami GP to add more aerodynamic load to the car.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, explained that they’ve been using the same car since the start of the season and bringing in new updates is crucial for improving performance. They have more developments planned for the upcoming races to make the car easier to handle and more consistent.
The upgrades for the Miami GP also include a new front wing spec, changes to the front track rod, and specific cooling slots for this circuit. These upgrades are introduced during the second sprint weekend of the F1 2024 season.
Shovlin mentioned that although there’s a risk with fewer practice sessions during sprint weekends, the new format allows teams to work on the cars after Saturday morning’s sprint. This makes teams less hesitant to bring upgrades to these weekends.
He explained that the regulations during sprints make it easier for teams to deal with any issues that may arise with the upgrades. While it might not be ideal for learning, teams can manage with fewer parts during these sprint weekends.
