After securing their first pole position of the season in the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes is evaluating various concepts for their F1 car in 2024. Lewis Hamilton’s impressive qualifying run was overshadowed in the race, where Max Verstappen’s Red Bull dominated, leaving Hamilton to finish fourth, nearly 40 seconds behind the winner.
The huge gap between Verstappen and the rest of the field at the Hungaroring has highlighted the need for Mercedes and other teams to make significant improvements during the winter break.
Team boss Toto Wolff has expressed that fundamental changes are in the pipeline for their 2024 car, known as the W15. Mercedes is keen on exploring different ideas and concepts that other teams have implemented to gain a competitive edge. They are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of improvement and are open to any possibility that might enhance their performance without compromising their unique approach to racing.
In the past, discussions surrounding concept changes at Mercedes have often centered on their sidepod design. However, the team’s engineers view the concept change from a different perspective. They are focusing on altering the car’s setup and operating window, particularly how it interacts with the track surface.
Their previous car, the W13, faced challenges as it was designed to run as close to the ground as possible, resulting in difficulties managing the “porpoising phenomenon.” The team attempted a different approach in the current season by raising the operating window with slight modifications, but it didn’t generate enough downforce compared to their rivals who were running at lower ride heights.
During the Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes made further adjustments to address some of the car’s shortcomings, including changing sidepods to eliminate the impact of its ‘zero-pod’ concept on performance. However, the team acknowledges that more improvements are necessary.
The recent defeat to Red Bull in Hungary has left Mercedes with no excuses. Despite the bitter reality of a significant gap to the front-runner, they understand that success in Formula 1 is based on merit and operating within the regulations. The team is determined to learn from the experience and make the necessary strides to regain their competitive edge.
As the team prepares for the future, they are thoroughly scrutinizing all possibilities and remain committed to delivering a formidable car for the 2024 season.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Concepts
Q: What is Mercedes evaluating for their F1 2024 car?
A: Mercedes is evaluating various concepts and ideas from other teams to make fundamental changes to their F1 2024 car.
Q: How did Mercedes perform in the Hungarian Grand Prix?
A: Mercedes secured its first pole position of the season, but in the race, they fell to fourth place, nearly 40 seconds behind the winner due to Red Bull’s dominance.
Q: What are the engineers’ focus on concept change?
A: The engineers at Mercedes are focusing on altering the car’s setup and operating window, particularly in relation to the track surface, rather than just the sidepod design.
Q: What challenges did the W13 car face in the previous season?
A: The W13 car faced challenges due to its design aiming to run as close to the ground as possible, resulting in difficulties managing the “porpoising phenomenon.”
Q: How is Mercedes responding to the need for improvement?
A: Mercedes is thoroughly examining every concept and possibility seen on other cars to make significant improvements for the 2024 season.
Q: What is the team’s approach after the defeat in Hungary?
A: Mercedes acknowledges the need for improvement and is committed to learning from the experience to regain their competitive edge in Formula 1.
More about Concepts
- Mercedes evaluating “every concept” for F1 2024 car
- Hungarian Grand Prix 2023 – Race Highlights
- Toto Wolff on Mercedes’ F1 2024 Development
- Mercedes AMG F1 Team
- Red Bull Racing
4 comments
dats wot f1 is all abt, d competition’s fierce! mercedes mite hav lost, bt dey r not givin’ up. im cheerin’ 4 em 2 come up strong in 2024! go merc!
man, dat hungarian gp was cray cray! red bull rulz! bt u kno wot, merc’s engineers got big ideas n dey not just focusin’ on sidepods. dis game on!
red bull totally pwned mercedes in hungary, omg! bt i luv how merc’s boss, toto, is keepin’ it real n ackn’ledgin’ dey gotta do betta. cant wait 2 c da changes dey make!
mercedes seems 2 b strugglin’ afta dat hungary race, but der r still hopin’ 4 big changes in 2024. dey lookin’ at evry concept out der, goin’ all in 2 get bak on top!