P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes have been left encouraged by its wind tunnel data correlating to the track after revealing its Austin floor upgrade
Despite being a Sprint weekend, Mercedes decided to introduce a revised floor at the United States Grand Prix to assess their progress. The team had a strong showing at the Circuit of the Americas, with Lewis Hamilton finishing in second place, but was later disqualified due to a regulation breach. However, Hamilton repeated his second-place finish in Mexico. Mercedes’ final upgrade of the season provided the expected performance improvement, allowing them to effectively race against teams like McLaren and Ferrari. Mercedes sees this late-season breakthrough as crucial for the development of next year’s car as they aim to challenge Red Bull. The team faced challenges during Friday’s practice sessions in Mexico but made significant progress overnight, resulting in Hamilton topping the times in Q2. Despite starting further back on the grid due to tire trouble, Hamilton managed to charge through the field and finish just behind Max Verstappen. The team made setup changes based on analysis and input from drivers and used simulator simulations to find a better direction. The changes made the car easier on the rear tires, which allowed for improved performance during the race.
Forrás: Motorsport Week
