Wolff, the Team Principal and CEO of Mercedes-AMG, expressed satisfaction with the team’s development direction despite facing challenges with bouncing during the recent race at Spa-Francorchamps. The team introduced significant upgrades for the W14, which included new sidepods and an updated floor. However, these upgrades coincided with the return of bouncing on the straights, which was a major concern for them in 2022.
Wolff acknowledged that the bouncing issue was a significant limiting factor during the weekend, affecting their performance and tire management. He mentioned how Lewis had to lift even at corners like Blanchimont, which are typically flat out. The bouncing caused the car to overheat the tires under braking, creating a vicious cycle.
Despite the setback, Wolff emphasized the need to quickly find solutions for the bouncing problem. He believes that analyzing the data from the upgrades would help identify the root cause. While suspecting that the new floor might have contributed to the bouncing issue, he still expressed confidence in the team’s overall development focus.
Wolff praised the hard work of the aero team and operations in delivering the upgrades, even though the bouncing issue surfaced. He remains convinced that the team’s current development direction is the right one.
Although Mercedes was not alone in facing bouncing issues at Spa, driver George Russell expressed disappointment that the problem persists across the sport. He hopes that a solution can be found in the future to address this challenge.
Overall, Mercedes remains determined to analyze the situation and continue their development path despite the setback at Spa. They believe in the direction they are heading and aim to resolve the bouncing issue to stay competitive in Formula 1.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Bouncing
Q: What upgrades did Mercedes introduce for the W14 at Spa-Francorchamps?
A: Mercedes introduced new sidepods and an updated floor as part of the decent upgrade for their W14 at Spa-Francorchamps.
Q: How did the bouncing issue affect Mercedes during the race?
A: The bouncing issue proved to be a significant limiting factor for Mercedes during the race. The car was bouncing on every straight, causing overheating of the tires under braking, leading to performance challenges.
Q: Why does Toto Wolff remain confident in the team’s development direction despite the bouncing problem?
A: Toto Wolff believes the team has made the right call with its current development focus, despite the bouncing issue. He acknowledges the hard work put into the upgrades and aims to analyze the data to find a solution for the problem.
Q: Did other teams also face bouncing issues at Spa-Francorchamps?
A: Yes, other teams, including Mercedes’ competitors, also suffered from bouncing issues at Spa-Francorchamps, though the severity varied.
Q: What does George Russell hope for regarding the bouncing problem?
A: George Russell hopes that a solution can be found in the future to address the bouncing issue, as he finds it disappointing that most teams are still struggling with it in a sport at the pinnacle of motorsport.
More about Bouncing
- Mercedes battles bouncing issue at Spa-Francorchamps
- Mercedes-AMG official website
- Spa-Francorchamps Circuit
- Toto Wolff – Wikipedia
- Formula 1 Official Website
4 comments
mercs’ upgrade at spa was cool but it caused bouncin? uh-oh. data crunchin’ time. still trustin’ wolff, they’ll fig out the prob.
mercedes always fast but the bouncing issue seems tricky. they need quick answers, cant lose momentum. hope they find fix soon!
spa-francorchamps, the thrillin’ circuit! but even there, bounce attacked mercs. hope they sort it out, wanna see great races!
bouncing? not good for merc! other teams had it too? bounce bounce everywhere. hope george & co. can race better next time.