P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What the data tells us about Mercedes’ latest F1 problems
Mercedes had high hopes for its W15 car to close in on Red Bull, but recent struggles in Saudi Arabia revealed a need for further improvement. The team believes a mysterious issue in high-speed corners is disguising its true potential. This weakness is causing a significant loss of time compared to rivals McLaren and Aston Martin. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff highlighted the car’s struggles at high speeds, leading to a performance gap despite being competitive in other track areas. Real-world data and GPS comparisons show the W15 is slower in high-speed corners compared to its predecessor, indicating a crucial development focus. The team faces challenges solving the grip and downforce inconsistencies affecting driver confidence, with discrepancies between on-track performance and simulator predictions.
