Mercedes has been facing difficulties in achieving a strong qualifying performance under the new ground effect regulations. The team acknowledges that there is still work to be done in order to be competitive in qualifying with their 2024 Formula 1 car when the season starts in Bahrain next week. To overcome the challenges of the past two years, Mercedes has undertaken a complete overhaul of their W15 challenger in line with the latest ground effect regulations. The struggles with their previous W14 charger resulted in both Mercedes drivers struggling to consistently deliver in qualifying last season. Despite a late impressive performance from George Russell in the final session, Mercedes focused mainly on long runs during pre-season testing. However, Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director, admitted that the team is still lagging behind their main rivals in terms of one-lap pace. Shovlin expressed confidence that there is more to come from the team as they continue to fine-tune the setup and aims to put on a strong performance on the track. Mercedes aimed to address the rear end issues of their predecessor with their latest car, the W15, in order to have a more compliant base. Both Russell and Lewis Hamilton have praised the improved driving experience with the W15, indicating that Mercedes has successfully resolved the behavioral limitations that had hindered them in the past. However, Hamilton acknowledges that Red Bull remains the team to beat this year, but sees the W15 as a solid foundation to build upon.
Max Verstappen, a member of the Red Bull Racing team, expressed his disapproval of comments made by McLaren Formula 1 CEO Zak Brown. Brown suggested that the departure...
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