George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who drive for Mercedes.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin confirmed a conversation between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell saw the latter given the team’s single upgraded front wing in Monaco over the weekend.
Shovlin explained that Hamilton’s actions made the decision easy for them, but the choice to bring only one wing was actually driven by the drivers’ desire to expedite the arrival of upgrades at the circuit.
Mercedes clarify arrival of one new front wing in Monaco
In Monte Carlo, Russell outperformed Hamilton in the qualifying session, resulting in a P5 finish for Russell and a P7 finish for the seven-time World Champion. Remarkably, the entire top 10 maintained their starting positions throughout the Monaco Grand Prix, making it a historic occurrence in Formula 1.
However, with Mercedes striving to enhance their performance at every chance this season, Shovlin disclosed that the drivers requested upgrades to be introduced whenever feasible. This even includes the scenario where only one unit of each new component is accessible during a race weekend going forward.
“In our pursuit, we aim to acquire sufficient quantities of that wing in Montreal. Typically, race quantities are considered to be a minimum of three. This accounts for one wing for each car and an additional spare in case of any unforeseen circumstances,” Shovlin elaborated in Mercedes’ debrief following the Monaco Grand Prix.
We do not produce three at once. Rather, we manufacture them one by one – first the first, then the second, and finally the third.
As a result, we had one available to bring to Monaco and ensure its readiness by Friday for the entire weekend.
Some time ago, the drivers questioned why we consistently wait until we acquire a complete set. Wouldn’t it be more efficient to allow one of us to handle it instead?
We reached a consensus with them that, considering the team’s performance, there is a necessity for improvement and learning.
Having various specifications on the car is highly advantageous for accomplishing that.
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We reached an agreement with the drivers that they would be content if we brought one of them to the track at our current location, and they expressed their satisfaction with this decision.
“The question of determining the person to lead the initiative posed a challenge. However, Lewis proposed a solution: allowing George to take charge in Monaco, considering the limited availability of components. This approach would enable us to alternate and ensure fairness in future races when we only have one update. Lewis’s decision made the choice straightforward for us.”
But after the upgrade was run for the weekend, Mercedes believe the upgrade was a success, Shovlin calling it a “step in the right direction” based on Russell’s feedback, with Hamilton set to receive the part in Canada.
Shovlin explained that teams usually refrain from bringing update kits to Monaco due to the circuit’s extremely slow nature.
“It is extremely challenging to assess anything due to the high level of busyness and the presence of short straights.”
However, based on the data we have observed, it is evident that the performance of the car was improved and it provided a noticeable benefit in terms of the overall driving experience.
George felt content with that, recognizing it as a positive move in the right direction.
“We are currently satisfied with the progress we have witnessed so far. However, we anticipate gaining further insights in Montreal, especially when we reach a track like Barcelona that offers a broader range of corner speeds. It is there that we can truly delve into understanding it.”
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