Mercedes Probes Spa Upgrade for Key Gains

Mercedes F1 assesses its Spa update’s impact, focusing on floor modifications and their influence on performance.

Mercedes F1 reinstalled its new floor in the Netherlands, a component not retained at Spa and tested again. Finishing seventh and eighth, the W15s did not perform as expected at Zandvoort, and Technical Director James Allison seeks to understand if it relates to the upgrade.

“We can take simple measures and say that the downforce it was supposed to provide seemed to be there,” stated Allison. “So, on some level, we can be reassured that it functioned as expected. But much of the cars’ pace, particularly this year, depends on their manageability.”

“It’s not just about whether your aerodynamic package delivers downforce, but whether it gives you the balanced car you need in the corners. Does it provide the balance you need between high and low speed?”

“We know we didn’t have a well-balanced car this weekend. That’s where we lost most of our pace. Whether it’s because of the new floor, the new aerodynamic group or not, we need to keep an open mind and that’s something we’ll have to reassess in the upcoming races.”

“For now, we know it measured downforce, but we’re not sure it provided good balance. That’s something we need to study throughout the year.”

The track isn’t the sole reason for variations

After several very good races, Zandvoort’s failure was surprising for Mercedes. Monza might better suit the Brackley team, but Allison disputes the idea that responsibility for performance fluctuations lies solely with the tracks.

“It won’t be as simple as saying the track doesn’t suit the car. Success or failure over a weekend depends on a very large number of elements, and all must be nearly perfect for the car to reach its true pace.”

“Leading up to the break, we managed to find our rhythm on practically all circuits. We went a bit off track at Spa, but we managed to come back just in time.”

“This weekend at Zandvoort, with Friday’s weather conditions and the decisions we made overnight, we failed to get into the necessary rhythm to make the most of the car.”

“And small errors, minor setup mistakes can turn a highly competitive car into a mediocre one. It’s tight at the top, and we didn’t make it this weekend, resulting in a poor outcome.”