The Mercedes Experiment: A New Approach to Unlocking Pace

As the Formula 1 season continues, all eyes are on the Mercedes team and their progress with the W15 car. While their lap times have shown signs of improvement, it’s the mood of the drivers that truly reflects the team’s progress. In an interview with Kosport Magazine, Lewis Hamilton declared that there had been a “night and day” difference in how comfortable he felt in the car, a feeling that has been lacking throughout the troubled campaigns Mercedes has endured in the latest ground effect era.

But what’s most intriguing about Mercedes’ progress is that it hasn’t come from any specific parts changes made to the car. In fact, the team has been willing to experiment and adopt a totally different approach when it comes to setting up the W15.

As Kosport Magazine reports, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that the team tried something completely new for the Japanese Grand Prix, which brought them much closer to the top of the grid. This new approach has not only closed the gap to their main rival, McLaren, but has also improved the overall balance of the car.

But this progress didn’t come from any updates to the car. In fact, the submission sheet that teams have to lodge with the FIA ahead of every weekend showed that Mercedes had brought no new components to Suzuka. Instead, the team focused on understanding the factors that have been hampering their pace, particularly in high-speed corners.

One of the key areas of focus for Mercedes has been tire temperatures. Technical director James Allison explained that the team has been struggling with a mismatch in how hot the front and rear tires get, which has contributed to the car falling out of the window when track temperatures rise.

But for the Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes embarked on a different set-up approach for the car, one that aimed to bring down the rear tire temperatures and improve the overall balance of the car. And according to driver George Russell, the experiments undertaken in Japan were pretty extreme, but they have finally helped the team understand the factors at play.

While Mercedes is under no illusion that they have found a magic bullet to transform their campaign, the direction of travel looks promising. As Wolff reflected after Saturday’s qualifying, “You can always do the maths: One tenth and you’re on the second row of the grid. Is that good enough or not? I don’t know. An unpleasant overall result, but I can see something positive in the performance.”

A Positive Step Forward for Mercedes

Despite their drivers qualifying in seventh and ninth for the Japanese Grand Prix, the Mercedes team is feeling more optimistic than ever. With a new approach to setting up the W15 car, they have made significant progress in unlocking pace and improving the overall balance of the car. While there is still work to be done, the team is confident that they are moving in the right direction. As the season continues, all eyes will be on Mercedes to see if their experiment pays off and helps them reclaim their spot at the top of the grid.