Lewis Hamilton secured the highest position for Mercedes, finishing in P6.
Updating the W15 over two weekends, Toto Wolff says Mercedes are not chasing “miracles” but rather “incremental gains” with the team having found a clear direction forward.
All ten teams in Formula 1 are currently engaged in a full-blown development battle, as they update their cars either in Miami or Imola. Mercedes, on the other hand, is going a step further by introducing a few new parts at both races.
‘We are on a trajectory where we’re making the car better’
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
According to the drivers, they claim that it has resulted in a significant improvement.
George Russell claimed that his W15 at Imola was the finest it had been throughout the entire season, while Lewis Hamilton acknowledged some progress but noted they were still missing a fraction of a second.
And small steps are exactly what Wolff and Mercedes are chasing.
The team principal informed the media, including PlanetF1.com, that the current improvements made to the car are not a miraculous update, but rather incremental gains. These gains have helped achieve a better balance window and enhanced the car’s overall performance.
“It involves achieving a tenth or a tenth-and-a-half of progress, while simultaneously witnessing the progress made by other teams.”
“We are currently headed in a direction that is continuously improving the car, and we can observe this progress. Unlike a share price that simply rises, our advancements are based on ensuring the correct direction, which boosts my confidence even further.”
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‘Where we are now this direction is correct’
After grappling with a W15 that displayed excellence in high-speed corners but struggled in low-speed ones during the initial races, the Austrian confidently states that the team has now established a definitive path towards developing a well-rounded car.
He stated that in the recent races, there have been unprecedentedly clear signs indicating that the car is either performing well in high-speed sections or low-speed sections, but never excelling in both simultaneously.
“We can now gradually eliminate that.”
Overall, Hamilton and Russell achieved a significantly improved outcome at Imola compared to two years ago, when they were unable to secure any points. This past Sunday, they finished in sixth and seventh place as they crossed the finish line.
He said that when we reflect on two years ago, the way Imola went for us was absolutely terrible.
“I feel a lack of pride and happiness regarding the period from the past until now. There were opportunities for improvement, early detection, and optimization within the organization that we failed to seize.”
“We are currently headed in the right direction.”
Mercedes, currently in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, trails Red Bull, the leading team, by a margin of 189 points.
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