Mercedes has reestablished itself as the fourth force in the F1 championship, despite showing signs of revival with the W15 over the summer, securing three wins (one with George Russell in Austria and two with Lewis Hamilton in Great Britain and Belgium).
However, the Brackley team has struggled to achieve consistent results due to the black-silver arrow being particularly difficult to drive and set up, leaving Mercedes in a solitary position in the Constructors’ standings, far behind the top three teams (McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull), which remain in contention for the title.
Russell continues to extract all possible potential from the W15, which varies significantly depending on the circuit, while Hamilton, reportedly bound for Maranello, has eased up, as his hopes of finishing his Mercedes journey with positive results have been dashed.
James Allison’s technical team, now strengthened by the arrival of Simone Resta as of October 1, is focused on developing the 2025 car, with the last three races of this season set to serve as testing grounds for ideas intended for the upcoming W16.
Mercedes still struggles with the ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022, but Brackley’s engineers occasionally impress with innovative solutions, especially in the front wing development, where they have introduced concepts later adopted by other teams.
The infamous W13, the car designed without sidepods, pushed the outwash concept to the extreme, with a striking gap between the sideplate and the wing flaps, pioneering a design approach that has set a standard.
In the 2022 car, small longitudinal slots appeared on the outer edge of the last, non-adjustable flap. These three openings helped “weaken” the vortex generated, directing airflow where the aerodynamics team desired. This micro-aerodynamics development reflects the detailed analysis and precision in implementing such solutions.
In the update package introduced by Mercedes at the US Grand Prix in Austin, even the keenest observers missed some bold features on the front wing, particularly near the endplate.The longitudinal cuts have been reintroduced, not only on the last element but also on the third flap. But perhaps the most intriguing detail is the very open sideplate, which introduces a previously unseen concept.
Mercedes has incorporated an unusual flow guide between the front wing flaps and the sideplate, directing airflow toward the end of the endplate with the clear intent of increasing airflow to the outside of the front wheel. This flow is manipulated to create controlled vortices that can be directed according to wind tunnel testing results, aiming to reduce turbulence and enhance rear downforce.
Those who analyzed this solution praised the capabilities of the team under James Allison, noting that Mercedes has invested both time and resources in this concept.
But a simple question remains unanswered: what advantage does such a complex design offer on a car that struggles to keep up with the top competitors? Is it all for nothing, or is this micro-aerodynamic masterpiece lost on a car overly sensitive to ride height changes? The hope is that this interesting aerodynamic application will find a proper role on next year’s Mercedes and serve as an initial example of innovations we’ll see on the W16, potentially setting a trend.
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