This Formula 1 season was supposed to be a fresh beginning for Mercedes, where they would finally overcome the weakness that has hindered them in the new ground effect era. However, they are still struggling with one of the main challenges of these types of cars, raising doubts about their ability to master them. So far in 2024, Mercedes has only been the fifth fastest in terms of single-lap pace and still has a significant gap to Red Bull. While this was expected at the start of the year, the main objective was to have a consistent and reliable car. In Bahrain, they seemed to have achieved this despite some cooling issues affecting Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s race pace. However, in Saudi Arabia, familiar problems resurfaced. Hamilton, like last year, lacked confidence in the rear of the car, which persisted throughout the weekend. The team tried different solutions, but the lack of downforce in high-speed corners remained a bigger issue. These struggles have put Mercedes in a worse position compared to last year’s qualifying in Saudi Arabia. The team needs to find a balance between running the car low and stiff to maximize performance on high-grip tracks like Jeddah. However, this has proven to be challenging for Mercedes, as they were the slowest in qualifying at certain sections of the track. The lack of confidence in the rear end and poor balance have been consistent issues for the team, despite their efforts to solve them. Mercedes is facing three main problems in Saudi Arabia: poor balance leading to oversteer, bouncing during qualifying, and insufficient grip. The team needs to understand these fundamental issues to improve their performance. The main problem lies in the interaction between the car and the ground, which affects the generation of downforce. Red Bull has been successful in finding the right balance, but simulating this in the design phase is complex. Mercedes has been working on improving their simulation tools, but it hasn’t been enough. The team needs to find the right setup and maximize downforce, which is crucial for overall grip and confidence in the rear end. Mercedes is determined to fix these issues and believes they can compete for podium finishes. However, it will require a significant effort before the Australian GP to understand and address the problems. The team made significant changes to the car’s architecture for 2024, but the issue lies in the details of the floor and underfloor design. Controlling the stall effect and preventing the car from hitting the ground or rising too high is a challenging task. Solving this problem will require a deep understanding and potentially adjustments to the underfloor shape and details. If it is primarily an aerodynamic issue, it can be fixed with the right understanding and adjustments. However, it remains to be seen if Mercedes can overcome these challenges immediately or if major changes will be needed in the future.
Charles Leclerc demonstrated the potential of Ferrari's new upgrades by setting the pace in both practice sessions at Imola on Friday. In the first session, Leclerc topped the...
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