Mercedes is planning major upgrades for Imola as it looks to close the gap to McLaren in the evolving F1 title fight.
Mercedes is preparing to unleash a significant upgrade package at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, aiming to close the gap on McLaren and shake up the early 2025 Formula 1 title race.
So far, the Silver Arrows have been the second-strongest team on average across the opening four rounds, with George Russell securing three podiums. Still, the W16 hasn’t quite had the edge to challenge the rapid MCL39 consistently.
When asked where McLaren holds the upper hand, Mercedes Technical Director James Allison admitted it’s not easy to pinpoint.
“If we knew exactly what they’re doing better, it would be simple to copy, wouldn’t it?” he joked. “That said, it looks like they manage rear tire temperatures better than most, which gives them a performance edge on circuits where rear grip is the limiting factor.”
“But it’s never just one thing—they’ve done a solid job across the board.”
To respond, Mercedes is lining up a series of updates starting with the European leg of the season, with the first major package expected to debut in Imola—not Miami.
“We’re planning a big upgrade for Imola,” Allison confirmed. “We’ve got a few small bits on the car already in Jeddah—nothing huge like a new floor, but elements that we’re curious to see deliver on track.”
Despite the development push, Allison emphasized that Mercedes isn’t losing sight of 2026, when the sport enters a new era with radically different regulations.
“Any smart team is already thinking seriously about 2026,” he explained. “There are only 20 races left before this era ends, so we’re pushing hard early this season, but with one eye on the future.”
The good news? There’s still plenty of performance to unlock without redesigning the car entirely.
“There’s a lot of lap time to be found through setup work alone. Even if the geometry stays the same, we’re not done exploring what this car can do.”
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Mercedes Eyes Imola Upgrades to Chase Down McLaren Mercedes Eyes Imola Upgrades to Chase Down McLaren