Mercedes probes issues during Bahrain F1 pre-season

Mercedes encountered several challenges during the second day of the pre-season test in Bahrain 2023, including car balance and reliability issues that affected the running of their drivers. Despite a positive start on the opening day, the team faced difficulties that prompted investigations to determine the root cause of their problems. “Certain inquiries” have been initiated by Mercedes to examine the issues encountered and identify potential solutions.

On Thursday, Mercedes had a favorable start to the pre-season test in Bahrain 2023, as there were no indications of the bouncing problems that plagued their W13 in the previous year. Andrew Shovlin, the trackside engineering director, lauded the W14 for being a “far more composed and steady” foundation that showed “flawless” dependability on the first day.

Nonetheless, the team encountered a setback on the second day, as Russell was forced to stop due to a hydraulics problem, resulting in them losing the last 90 minutes of the session. The car did not return to the track after the issue.

Shovlin conceded that Mercedes did not have a productive second day, as they encountered multiple challenges. Apart from Russell’s issue, which curtailed his running to just 26 laps, the team also had difficulties in achieving the ideal car balance during Friday’s session.

In the first half of the day, Lewis Hamilton managed to complete a relatively impressive 72 laps in the W14. However, his car demonstrated rear instability on several occasions, which was also observed on the first day, necessitating Hamilton to manage corner exits by controlling some sliding.

Shovlin acknowledged that the reliability issue and subsequent halt on track were not ideal, and the team encountered difficulties in achieving the desired car balance amid the changing track conditions on Friday.

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He further stated that investigations were ongoing to comprehend the cause of the difficulties, as Thursday’s session had been comparatively straightforward. The team planned to continue working overnight to gain a better understanding of the situation, and he hoped that they would learn more by the following morning.

Shovlin added that it would be fascinating to see if they could figure out the drop in performance and make up for the lost track time during Saturday’s session.

Russell shared that the team had discovered some interesting information from the data collected throughout the day, and they would be analyzing it overnight in the hopes of enhancing the car’s performance. He further stated that the team had yet to unlock the W14’s full potential, and they were all working hard towards that goal, with the final day of testing in mind.

Regarding the upcoming season opener, Russell was cautious, stating that it would be a “stretch” to anticipate Mercedes being on par with Red Bull in the first race of the year. He did, however, express confidence in the team’s ability to eventually develop a car capable of competing for the championship, though he remained uncertain if they could achieve that by next weekend in Bahrain.

Hamilton acknowledged that there was still a lot of work to be done on the final day of testing, as the team aimed to improve the performance of the W14. He added that everyone was working tirelessly to unlock the car’s full potential.

When asked about the competition, Hamilton echoed Russell’s sentiments and expressed that Red Bull appeared to be the stronger team at present. He noted that the car was stable and looked formidable, and that Verstappen was performing exceptionally well. However, he also stated that he believed Mercedes had the ability to develop and improve their car, citing the team’s strength and their history of strong development rates. He concluded by saying that while it may be difficult to compete with Red Bull in the season opener, the team would strive to reach their full potential later in the year.

Mercedes probes issues F1 pre-season

Hamilton, Russell, and Shovlin share their views on a challenging second day of testing.

On the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Mercedes faced a setback due to a hydraulic issue that disrupted their afternoon program. Despite this, the team managed to complete nearly 100 laps, collecting valuable data and building on their previous day’s performance.

During the morning session, Lewis Hamilton completed 72 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit. The hotter temperatures made conditions challenging, and the team focused on understanding the car’s overall balance. In the afternoon, George Russell took over the W14, starting with aero rake work before switching to balance checks as dusk approached. He then began a planned long-run program using the C3 tyre, setting his fastest lap of the day at 1m33.654s after completing 26 laps. Unfortunately, the hydraulic issue arose during his first long run, forcing the team to end the day prematurely with 90 minutes still left in the session.

Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin commented on the day’s events, with the team expressing their commitment to analyzing the data and addressing the hydraulic issue in time for the final day of testing.

Andrew Shovlin acknowledged that Mercedes had encountered difficulties during the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, with a reliability issue causing the team to stop on track. Additionally, the team struggled to achieve the desired car balance amid the changing conditions, leading to investigations to identify the root cause of their issues. He expressed his confidence that they would gain a better understanding of the situation and hoped to mitigate the lost track time on the final day of testing.

Lewis Hamilton commented on the challenging morning session, as the hot temperatures caused the tyres to overheat, making it difficult to run the car. Nonetheless, the team managed to complete their planned running, and everyone was working tirelessly to maximize the potential of the W14.

George Russell shared that the team had encountered hydraulic issues that limited their running in the afternoon session. However, he added that they had gathered valuable data throughout the day and were analyzing it to identify areas for improvement. He remained optimistic that they could unlock the W14’s full potential and maximize their final day of testing.

Mercedes issues F1 pre-season Mercedes issues F1 pre-season Mercedes issues F1 pre-season

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