New aero features and suspension tweaks for Mercedes W16 at Imola | F1 Emilia Romagna GP. Mercedes brings an upgrade package to Imola featuring a revised front wing.

Mercedes sits second in the Constructors’ Championship and, despite the massive 105-point gap to McLaren after six races, the team is determined to bounce back. The W16 is considered, unlike its recent predecessors, to be responsive to development. The Brackley team had targeted the first European race for their initial technical upgrade, and James Allison’s engineers have delivered as promised.

According to early observations, there are three areas of intervention: an updated front wing now featuring a second element with increased chord length, while the last two flaps appear rather unloaded.

But the most curious aspect concerns the front suspension, particularly the modified cover of the rear arm of the upper triangle. At the mounting point to the chassis, it now features a fairing shaped like a wing with a profile that points noticeably upward—clearly an attempt to redirect airflow differently along the chassis side. It’s also possible that other carbon covers on the front suspension have been revised. This solution isn’t entirely new, as it is also present on the Ferrari SF-25.

In pursuit of greater efficiency, the engine cover has also been reshaped and features cooling gills designed to manage the heat expected at Imola.