Mercedes F1 targets urgent reliability fixes after a difficult European triple-header, with tire overheating and power unit issues under scrutiny.
Mercedes F1 has endured a challenging trio of European races, as explained by Toto Wolff when analyzing the Spanish Grand Prix. The Brackley team principal hopes for improvements after three difficult events, both in terms of performance and reliability.
Heat Hampers Mercedes Weekend
“This weekend was generally tough for us. We usually struggle in hot conditions, and tire management is our main issue when the asphalt is as hot as it was in Barcelona.”
“A fourth place for George is obviously not our target, but it’s a better result than what we thought possible before the race. Unfortunately, Kimi didn’t get the chance to score points due to a power unit failure.”
“We now have time to analyze all the data collected throughout the weekend and focus on maximizing the car’s potential. We know there are areas we need to work on. We must get on top of our tire overheating problems.”
“Fortunately, the season is still long, and we’re determined to keep pushing hard to make progress with the car.”
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, is surprised by the emergence of reliability issues:
“As expected, we faced a very hot track in Barcelona, and tire overheating was a challenge for us.”
Mercedes Misses Podium Chances
“George could have fought for the podium; his pace looked good enough to catch Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in the closing laps, but the tire overheating prevented him from attempting an overtake. After unfortunately losing positions on the first lap, climbing back to third was simply too difficult.”
“Kimi, meanwhile, had a tough afternoon. He experienced some instability in the high-speed corners, which is far from ideal in hot conditions. His race pace was solid, but he had to cut through traffic a few times, which cost him time.”
“Unfortunately, he lost oil pressure during his final stint and the car shut down in Turn 10. We don’t yet know the cause of the issue; the power unit will be sent back to Brixworth for inspection.”
“It’s always disappointing to lose a points-scoring car due to a reliability problem, but we haven’t been strong enough in that area over the past three races, so we’ll have to address it as a matter of urgency.”
“We now have time to regroup after this tough triple-header, but we’ll be working hard to come back strong in Montreal.”
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