Among the teams that introduced significant updates at Imola, Mercedes certainly stands out. Alongside Red Bull, it is the top team that brought the most substantial changes to its car. As has often been the case, the engineers led by James Allison and his right-hand man Simone Resta—who only joined Brackley in October—have continued to develop the car both aerodynamically and mechanically, to better manage the platform.
Resta: “We can close the gap to McLaren over a single lap. The Barcelona TD won’t be a game changer”
The package introduced by Mercedes at Imola features, first of all, a significant new front wing. The timing is noteworthy, as in Barcelona a new FIA technical directive on flexible wings will come into force, prompting updated designs from all teams to pass stricter tests. Present in the Imola paddock, Simone Resta did not comment on whether the new wing already meets those requirements, but according to AutoRacer, the wing will be updated before Barcelona and made stiffer—opposite to what Ferrari did when they introduced a new wing in Singapore and later made it more flexible for the Austin GP. “The front wing has a different concept compared to the previous one, and we introduced it at Imola simply because we believe it is better than the old spec.” A rather straightforward explanation. Regarding the upcoming races and the importance of the front wing, Resta added: “Every car is limited in balancing slow and fast corners. There will be some changes, but I don’t expect the TD to be a game changer. But I’m curious to see if anyone will be affected.”
Additionally, there is a modification to the front suspension, specifically to the fairing of the rear arm of the lower wishbone, which now generates an upwash effect, along with a more tapered rear bodywork. “The goal is always to develop more efficient and consistent downforce in all conditions: with wind, without wind, under yaw. It’s always a combination of many different factors.” Mercedes’ Deputy Technical Director confirmed that so far, the correlation between the wind tunnel and on-track performance—previously one of the team’s weaknesses—has worked well. The former Ferrari engineer commented externally on the progress made by his new team, compared to the difficulties of recent years: “I think there’s been overall progress, not just in tyre management or race performance.” There’s still not enough consistency to beat McLaren. “In some races we’ve been competitive, in others less so. There have been many variables. With cooler temperatures and different tyres, I expect Imola to be different from Miami, where we had some issues, like in Jeddah.”
Resta also addressed the topic of wheel corners and tyre temperature management during the race. “There’s a lot of focus on the design of the front and rear wheel corners. They certainly contribute to tyre management during races, along with setup and wheelbase. If you have more wheelbase, for example, you can manage the tyres better in the faster sections.” Resta didn’t want to focus too much on a general parameter but admitted that Mercedes still has work to do in that area. “We’ve made progress in performance, and I think we can close the gap over a single lap—we’ll focus on that.”
There is a rear suspension upgrade not listed in the FIA document
In addition to the three declared upgrades (front wing, front suspension, and bodywork)—which are purely aerodynamic—Mercedes also brought an extra update to a very sensitive area at Imola. Exactly one year ago in Monaco, the W15 underwent a delicate intervention on the front suspension area, which, combined with upgrades to the front wing, sidepods, and floor, turned the tide of the team’s season. With these cars, the aero-mechanical platform is fundamental: the best possible interaction between the two components is essential, as they work hand in hand.
On the W16 present at Imola, the mounting point of the upper wishbone—particularly its front arm—has been moved to a significantly lower position. This modification has a dual purpose: aerodynamic, influencing the airflow coming down from the sidepods and directing it toward the diffuser ramp, and mechanical, improving driveability by increasing the anti-squat and anti-lift function of the suspension. These changes are expected to make the W16’s platform more stable and improve overall balance and handling, while awaiting a new floor that should arrive in Spain.
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