
Mercedes is eager to return to winning in F1. It’s been a while since their last victory, which was at the Belgian Grand Prix when Lewis Hamilton capitalized on his teammate’s disqualification to repeat his success from the British GP. Since then, the team has struggled to consistently compete at the top. This was unexpected, especially considering the strong momentum the German team seemed to have earlier. The reasons behind this downturn have been explored in previous discussions. To summarize, the team has lost the optimal working point of the W15.
Mercedes arrives in Texas with renewed hopes. Toto Wolff’s team is already laying the groundwork for the 2025 Formula 1 season, where, like Ferrari, they aim to compete for both world titles. Despite there being only six races left in the 2024 season, Wolff still sees the fight at the top as something worth paying attention to. While they are no longer in contention for the titles, the opportunity to claim more wins is highly appealing. The goal is to finish the current season as strongly as possible.
In recent weeks, Mercedes has been working hard to fix their F1 car. The W15 will feature several updates in Austin, updates in which the team has placed significant trust. These updates will also provide valuable insights for next year’s car, currently being developed in Brackley. The American circuit poses a significant challenge for the highly decorated team, particularly given their suboptimal performance during their last appearance in Texas. It will be a tough test for both the car and the drivers, who will need to give their best to perform well.
F1, Mercedes banking on the W15’s renewed traction
Mercedes heads into round 19 of the F1 season with a technical package that highlights continuous growth and significant progress throughout the year, particularly in terms of traction. An important signal came in Singapore, where even Charles Leclerc acknowledged over the radio how much the W15 had improved in this area. Traction is a key factor for competitiveness in the more technical and slower sections of the American track. This could make the German car particularly strong in the third sector of Austin.
This part of the circuit is dominated by medium to low-speed corners, a condition that aligns well with the team’s setup philosophy. Their strategy will focus on optimizing the balance in slow corners. This approach allows them to “build a car” that excels in the slower, more technical sections of the track, such as the third sector in Texas, before adjusting the mechanical setup for the rest of the circuit. Indeed, there are faster sections where stiffer suspension elements with less travel are needed.
In this context, the W15 is expected to be particularly competitive in the slower segments, where tight corners and low-speed accelerations are crucial. Mercedes seems to have regained confidence in the car’s acceleration phases, which could make them solid in the more challenging sections of COTA. However, in terms of aerodynamic load, the car still has some limitations compared to rivals like Red Bull and McLaren. The aerodynamic platform generates less downforce and is less stable, especially when it comes to handling high speeds and vertical loads.
This means that Mercedes will need to find a compromise in their approach to the setup. The goal is to balance the aerodynamics to achieve adequate performance in both fast and slow sectors. Despite these challenges, the team has made significant strides in improving the car’s overall balance throughout the lap. The W15 now responds much better to setup changes and can finally follow a clear development path when it comes to finding the right balance between low, medium, and high speeds.
This aspect will be particularly important in Austin, where finding the ideal compromise between “high and low-speed corners” is crucial for achieving a good lap time. Compared to the start of the season, the gray and black car now handles these types of circuits much better, where balancing the different aerodynamic requirements is essential. The issues that previously plagued the team in terms of balance on these tracks have largely been resolved. Mercedes now believes they’ve achieved greater adaptability across different phases of the track.
As for the tires, the W15 tends to heat the tire surface quickly. This offers an advantage during the first laps after the start or after pit stops. Activating the tires in this way, especially the surface layer, provides immediate mechanical grip, which can be useful for improving traction and cornering speed in the more technical sections of a track. However, the heating of the tire carcass is less uniform and slower, leading to a less ideal heat distribution over the course of a stint.
At times, the temperature balance hasn’t been perfect, causing issues, especially on tracks with high ambient temperatures or fast corners that require significant lateral load, like Austin. When the carcass doesn’t reach its optimal temperature, the tire struggles to maintain performance during longer stints, leading to uneven wear. This phenomenon has been observed in several races for Mercedes, where the W15 has shown higher degradation compared to other cars in similar conditions.
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