In Monaco, the W15 of Mercedes was equipped with an enhanced front wing.
The start of the F1 2024 season has not been ideal for Mercedes as the team has struggled to find the performance and consistency needed to compete at the top.
In a bid to address their issues, Mercedes introduced a radically different front wing for the Monaco Grand Prix. This is likely just one of many upgrades aimed at improving their performance. Let’s delve into the technical aspects of this upgrade and explore how it might help turn their season around.
Mercedes looking to address struggles for form
It is uncommon to witness a team that has been dominant in this championship for such a long time now facing difficulties and clearly falling behind in terms of speed compared to their closest competitors.
In Monaco, George Russell delivered an exceptional performance by securing the fifth position, while Lewis Hamilton managed to clinch the seventh spot. It’s worth mentioning that Hamilton accomplished this feat without the aid of a new front wing for the race.
Mercedes currently holds the fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship, trailing behind McLaren, who is in third place with nearly double the points after eight races this season.
At the same stage of the previous season, Mercedes had comfortably secured the second position, leaving Aston Martin, Ferrari, and McLaren behind. However, the noticeable drop in performance this year raises a puzzling inquiry: how could a team with vast experience let this occur?
Since the start of the new era of cars, the team based in Brackley has been implementing a series of distinctive choices.
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They were the sole team to introduce the zero-sidepod concept at the beginning of the 2022 season, but it soon became evident that it was an unsuccessful approach. Mercedes, on the other hand, took a year and a half to relinquish that mindset, and it is evident that they are still facing the repercussions of that unfavorable choice.
At the start of the year, Mercedes unveiled another one of their alternative solutions – the front wing for this season.
The introduction of the “legality wire” appeared to enhance the airflow to the car’s floor and undercut region, which is crucial for achieving high speed on the track.
Additionally, this particular aspect was intended to create a powerful vortex, which would subsequently enhance the car’s ability to expel the contaminated air from its front wheels more efficiently.
The vortex, known as Y250, played a crucial role in previous car models.
The new #Mercedes front wing could be a nice trick to exploit the vortices to your advantage (in 2021 called the Y250 vortex).
But are we sure that the FIA will also like this?#F1 #F1Tech pic.twitter.com/UJipMEcS2s— Rosario Giuliana (@RosarioGiuliana) February 14, 2024
As previously stated, Mercedes eliminated the legal wire from the final component of the front wing.
Furthermore, alterations can be observed on the endplate, nose cover, and the mainplane lines.
A uniquely designed Mercedes front wing specifically tailored for the Monaco race.
See how it compares to the previous spec below pic.twitter.com/U6v3urisJw
— The Race (@wearetherace) May 24, 2024
Mercedes aims to enhance the performance of the new design by consistently generating increased downforce across a wide range of conditions and corner types. Put simply, the focus is on expanding the operational effectiveness of the front wing.
The front wing’s lower flap has been significantly narrowed, particularly in the outer portion, whereas the flap above it has been notably widened.
Mercedes ha probado una nueva ala en los libres 1 con el flap superior unido al morro siguiendo la misma cuerda. Russell ha probado el nuevo, Hamilton el anterior. #f1 #monacogp pic.twitter.com/uAM04ozN69
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) May 24, 2024
Furthermore, engineers will now possess enhanced authority over the moveable flap sections, bringing about several advantages. Notably, this grants them the ability to make more significant modifications from one track to another, thereby facilitating a superior adaptation to the specific characteristics of each track.
The next race in Canada, with its characteristic slow corners, will serve as the ultimate test to evaluate the effectiveness of the new design.
Despite Russell achieving a superior outcome in comparison to Hamilton, who utilized the outdated front wing, the limitations of the Monaco track prevent us from witnessing their full potential. Nevertheless, Mercedes will still benefit from gathering valuable data by evaluating the performance of both drivers using different specifications, ultimately aiding their progress.
Mercedes has revealed that additional upgrades are currently in development and are expected to be introduced in the upcoming races in Spain and Belgium.
The team of engineers is anticipating that they have discovered the correct strategy to restore Mercedes to their rightful place in the thrilling competition currently being fought by Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.
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