Mercedes pinpoints tyre temperatures as main limitation

Mercedes Technical Director James Allison reckons that a lot of the continued challenge with the crew’s 2024 F1 automobile, the W15 is right down to hotter observe temperatures which compromise the way in which the automobile handles the tyres.

Mercedes have had a really troublesome season up to now. Whereas the crew hoped after the three days of pre-season testing that they’d be extra aggressive with their closely revamped W15, the opening race of the 2024 F1 season revealed that Mercedes are far off the field-leading Crimson Bull and second quickest crew Ferrari.

The Jeddah race then confirmed that Mercedes are unable to problem the 2 main groups, and are immersed in a battle with McLaren and Aston Martin. Spherical 3 of the season then noticed the Anglo-German crew undergo a double DNF after Lewis Hamilton retired with an influence unit challenge and George Russell crashed out on the penultimate lap.

Regardless of the shortage of outright tempo, the W15 displayed flashes of encouraging tempo at varied elements of the race weekends. Hamilton led the way in which within the second follow in Bahrain whereas the W15 seemed to be fast within the closing follow in Melbourne. Nevertheless, that efficiency at all times vanished come qualifying and the race.

Technical Director James Allison reckons that the crew slowly identifies the foundation of the problems: “We’re beginning to see a sample emerge that almost all weekends we now have a interval within the weekend the place we’re feeling assured in regards to the automobile. However then within the paying classes, in qualifying and the race, that slips via our fingers,” he admits.

“If we have been making an attempt to attract that sample collectively then in all probability the strongest correlation that we will make in the mean time, is that our competitiveness drops when the observe is heat, when the day is at its warmest and due to this fact the tyre temperatures rise with these of the observe. That provides us some clues about what we have to do as we transfer ahead from right here.

“From FP3 to qualifying in Melbourne there was not a set-up change. If you understand what you are capturing for, should you’ve form of recognized accurately an correct evaluation of why our competitiveness waxes and wanes, then you possibly can work into the weekend a program that’s devoted in direction of making an attempt to maneuver the temperature and the temperature steadiness entrance to rear in your favour and utilizing all the standard arrange instruments on the automobile, That work you are able to do again right here within the manufacturing facility and the simulation and so forth.

“However should you conclude having exhausted the levels of freedom that you’ve got obtainable to you in setup phrases that you simply nonetheless have to go additional, properly then that will get tougher at that time as a result of that can be that there are underlying traits in say the aerodynamic map that you’ve got engineered or the suspension attribute that’s aggravating that exact characteristic, and with the intention to make it actually heal up properly then you would need to change these underlying options.

“It may be both fast and soiled or a bit extra concerned and a bit extra sophisticated.”

Following the Australian Grand Prix, Russell made the lengthy flight from Melbourne to Brackley to hold out in depth simulator classes to arrange the automobile for the forthcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

“Suzuka is a observe with a lot of quick corners and a few sluggish hairpins, so an actual take a look at for the automobile. Our job can be to handle elements such because the tyre temperature challenge, the steadiness between excessive and low speeds. George labored laborious on the simulator initially of this week, making an attempt to assist us on this journey in order that we now have a transparent manifesto on what must be completed.”

Relating to Hamilton’s energy unit, Allison mentioned that the crew didn’t know at first what brought on the catastrophic failure on Lap 17 in Melbourne, however the Brixworth-based engine division will make modifications to the opposite energy models to keep away from additional reliability points.

“The facility models will return to the secure arms of the fellows at Brixworth, who will have the ability to work out what let go.

“All we all know is the signs on the time, which was a speedy lack of oil stress adopted by a shutdown of the engine to guard it as a result of when you understand you’ve received catastrophic loss like that, one of the best factor you are able to do for the long run is kill it there after which.

“After which you haven’t simply received like a load of molten metallic. You may have usually received a reasonably clear proof chain of what brought on it. After which that allows you to work higher for the long run.

“So, we have no idea but, Brixworth and HPP will do briefly order. And little question as quickly as we all know then they may bounce to with their attribute power to guarantee that any threat that occurs on every other engine is mitigated as greatest we will.”

F1earlier