P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The first part of a Mercedes upgrade package at the Miami GP didn’t have a tangible impact on its performance. In Gary Anderson’s eyes, what it changed – and the trend that conformed to – was more evidence it still doesn’t understand what to do to get performance out of this generation of F1 cars
Mercedes will introduce the second part of an upgrade package for its troubled 2024 Formula 1 car at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, having accelerated the first part so it was available for the previous race in Miami. While its customer team McLaren used its own admittedly larger upgrade to win in Miami, the revised Mercedes couldn’t make it past Q2 in sprint qualifying and peaked with sixth for Lewis Hamilton in the grand prix, sharing row four of the grid. According to technical consultant Gary Anderson, Mercedes still doesn’t understand how to optimize performance from the current generation of cars, based on their recent upgrades. The changes made by Mercedes at the Miami Grand Prix indicate uncertainty in their development direction, especially in comparison to McLaren’s more effective upgrades. The modifications on the front wing seem to be circuit-specific, aiming to achieve the required aerodynamic balance, but there is still room for improvement in achieving uniform airflow for better performance. Mercedes needs to focus on optimizing the front wing design to enhance underfloor downforce and overall aerodynamic efficiency for better results on the track.
