Shovlin discusses the pitfalls and potential of Mercedes F1’s zero sidepod design.
In 2022, Mercedes F1 embarked on a bold technical venture by minimising the sidepods of their W13 to virtually nothing, hoping to reduce drag. Unfortunately, this led to several issues. However, Andrew Shovlin, the team’s chief track engineer, reveals that the ‘zero sidepod’ itself was not the problem and could have been viable.
“Yes, in the sense that if a team knew what it knows now and could go back to 2021 for another attempt, it would have the fastest car, as every team has had to go through a significant learning phase. In that regard, we could have made the sidepods work,” Shovlin stated.
He further assured that the sidepod-less concept could have functioned on a flaw-free car: “Would they have performed as well as the current model of the car? Perhaps not. But the sidepods were not the biggest issue with this car.”
“There were other things that, if we were allowed to fix, the sidepods probably wouldn’t have been on the list. However, the solution we are implementing today is clearly more effective.”
Mercedes ‘caught off-guard by problems’
Shovlin explains that Mercedes spent two seasons uncovering problems that prevented them from addressing the initial difficulties: “There will always be an element of trial and error, as Formula 1 cars are the product of research, and not all research turns out to be correct.”
“You rely on theories about how you think aerodynamics work, how the tyres function, and what’s important in terms of vehicle dynamics.”
“You are constantly trying to make sure your models better reflect the car on the track. So, I think there will always be an element of trial and error, but our issue was rather being caught off-guard by problems that we hadn’t adequately anticipated.”
“It’s one of the major challenges. But if you look at how team performances are evolving at the moment, it’s clear that no one understands everything there is to know about the current generation of cars.”
- You may also like>Verstappen’s Pride: His F1 Journey Surpasses Wins
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
Shovlin Explains Why Mercedes’ Bold Sidepod Vision Flopped Shovlin Explains Why Mercedes’ Bold Sidepod Vision Flopped
