P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes Technical Director James Allison has admitted the decision to overhaul the chassis and gearbox on its 2024 Formula 1
The German marque, Mercedes, is determined to bounce back to winning races after facing disappointing results in the past two years due to the latest ground effect aero regulations in Formula 1. Despite moving up to second place in the Constructors’ Championship in 2023, Mercedes was significantly behind Red Bull by 454 points, with Red Bull winning 21 out of 22 races. The team had struggles with the ‘zeropod’ solution and had to abandon it midway through the previous season. For the new season, Mercedes has introduced a revamped car concept, the W15, to address shortcomings from the W14 and improve competitiveness. Mercedes’ Technical Director, Allison, explained that the development process for a new car involves identifying weaknesses, making significant changes during the off-season, and balancing improvements with successful elements from the previous car. The main focus for Mercedes has been on eliminating rear-end instability and creating a more predictable and agile car that provides reassurance to the drivers, along with reducing drag and enhancing performance in corners. The team is also aiming to enhance pit stop efficiency, targeting improvements in areas such as the DRS effect and overall pit stop time to narrow the gap to the leading teams in Formula 1.
