P1racenews AI automatic summary:
James Allison has denied that Mercedes’ sidepods were the reason for their underperformance this year.
Mercedes introduced the ‘zeropod’ concept at the beginning of the ground effect era in 2022, but this design has not been successful, allowing Red Bull to dominate Formula 1. They have acknowledged their mistake and plan to adopt a more conventional design for the 2024 W15 car. The sidepods were the most noticeable aspect of the flawed design, but they were not the sole reason for Mercedes’ struggles. Aston Martin and McLaren have outperformed them this season, with Mercedes failing to win a Grand Prix for the first time since 2011. James Allison has returned as technical director to help Mercedes regain their winning form.
