Mercedes begins the journey in the direction of the beginning of the 2024 FIA Components One World Championship season at the moment with the launch of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 E PERFORMANCE.
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FP1 in Bahrain, the beginning of the 2024 marketing campaign, lies 15 days away. Simply 80 days in the past, the 2023 season ended. Regardless of the shortage of racing, the factories at Brackley and Brixworth have been buzzing with exercise. The staff has labored arduous on a mission that started virtually 12 months in the past.
Within the speedy aftermath of a disappointing 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, the staff seemed arduous within the mirror at each side of our operations. A brand new course was set, starting a interval of renewal. Regardless of the restrictions of the W14’s pre-existing structure, there was tangible progress. A tough-fought, year-long battle netted second within the Constructors’ Championship. The mission continues into 2024.
“We all know we now have a mountain to climb to combat on the very entrance. There are not any miracles on this sport,” Toto Wolff, Workforce Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Workforce, commented. “However our ambition and dedication are robust. Since charting this new course, growth has progressed effectively. We had a number of objects on our precedence checklist for this automobile. We’ll quickly see if we’ve made the step we’ve aimed for.”
Continued Evolution
“The design of any automobile is an iterative process- and an extended one at that,” Technical Director James Allison defined. It stretches again to final 12 months. A brand new automobile permits the staff to expand, not possible alterations throughout the season. These selections are made throughout the previous summer season.”
These adjustments embrace a brand new chassis and a brand new gearbox casing. Aerodynamically, as ever, the main focus has been on effectivity. The limitless quest for locating extra downforce with much less drag and delivering it to the observe in a way that enhances the operate of the suspension and tyres.
“An enormous focus has been enhancing the earlier automobile’s unpredictable rear axle,” James continued. “We’ve got labored arduous to make sure that each axles, notably the rear axle, retain higher management of the tyre than on the W14. There’s additionally been some housekeeping on areas the place we had room for enchancment, together with the DRS impact and pit cease efficiency.”
Nevertheless, the primary differentiating elements lie within the underside of the automobile. James added: “With this present era of vehicles, a lot of the efficiency comes from how the ground interacts with the street. Whether or not or not a automobile is sensible is determined by how effectively that ground is permitted to behave aerodynamically.
“We really feel like we now have had a great winter, however F1 is a relative recreation, and solely time will inform how huge a step we’ve made. We’re targeted on getting essentially the most from the automobile we launch, however we’re excited by the event race that may observe because the laws are nonetheless younger and alternatives abound,” James concluded.
Toto added, “Because the saying goes, when it stings, it sticks. The earlier two years required us to readjust, recalibrate, and reinvent ourselves in sure areas. That root-and-branch strategy isn’t simple. However we’ve made progress and stay up for taking the subsequent step with the W15. It received’t be a linear path, however after we stumble, we are going to return and preserve climbing.”
Reflecting Who We Are
One other seen distinction with the W15 E Efficiency? The livery. In a 12 months when the long-lasting Silver Arrows mark their ninetieth anniversary, the well-known silver returns to enhance the long-lasting black of latest seasons.
“Efficiency was at all times on the forefront of our minds with the black livery final 12 months,” Toto defined. “Weight is a vital issue on this present era of vehicles. We knew that, as soon as we had been within the place to take action, we might convey again the Mercedes silver to accompany the black that has grow to be a pillar of our staff identification. The livery displays who we’re as a staff, with the distinctive colors of INEOS and PETRONAS offering necessary highlights.”
Subsequently, the nostril part transforms to silver, with the long-lasting three-pointed star sample on the engine cowl. The distinguished INEOS ‘Toto Rosso’ crimson options predominantly on the rear wing and roll hoop in a nod to INEOS Sport, with PETRONAS inexperienced offering a dynamic move throughout the automobile.
Like latest information, the brand new livery displays the staff’s industrial energy. In latest months, blue-chip manufacturers like SAP, WhatsApp, and Luminar have all joined the staff’s companion ecosystem.
“Our industrial technique has advanced over latest years,” Toto defined. “We’ve got at all times been targeted on constructing long-term relationships with companions that share our values and delivering a transparent return on funding. We’ve got now made the acutely aware determination to refine our companion ecosystem. We need to focus on a smaller, choose group of companions to serve higher and ship their return on funding. We satisfaction ourselves on making an attempt to be the perfect in each single space, and we imagine this strategy is how we are able to obtain this with our companions.”
A Centered Driver Pairing
Behind the wheel of the W15 E Efficiency shall be race drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
“We’ve learnt and grown as a staff over the previous two seasons,” George commented. “It’s not been plain crusing, however I really imagine the journey we’ve been on will make us stronger in the long term. The entire staff has been working extremely arduous, and we hope to have made a step with the W15 E Efficiency,” he continued.
“The teachings of the previous two years have helped us discover our course,” Lewis added. They’ve enabled us to seek out our north star. It’ll nonetheless be a piece in progress, however we are going to face no matter challenges current themselves with our heads up, with open minds, and work via them diligently.”
Dialling out the W14’s inconsistent efficiency and generally spiteful rear finish has been a key technical focus. George and Lewis are clear on the rewards if the staff can accomplish that.
Lewis defined: “When you’re uncomfortable with the automobile, you can not obtain most efficiency. A extra secure, predictable automobile will allow us to extract the potential from the automobile and ourselves as drivers.”
“We made progress with among the W14’s nastier traits all through final 12 months. However we nonetheless had a slim working window, and as soon as we had been outdoors that, the automobile was troublesome to drive. If we are able to proceed to widen the automobile’s working window, that may present confidence for us as drivers, and from there, lap time shall be simpler to seek out,” George added.
The staff’s work has impressed George and Lewis over the previous two years.
“F1 is a difficult sport. It’s powerful to win, and that’s why we adore it. Each lady and man at Brackley and Brixworth is concentrated on attending to the highest. We’ll proceed with that focus and dedication into 2024, and I’m excited to see the place that takes us,” George stated.
Lewis continued: “I do know what this staff is able to. I’m extremely grateful for the work of each single individual on this staff. Each time you’re within the manufacturing unit, you possibly can see the sheer drive and dedication of everybody. We’re all mega-motivated for the 12 months forward and can give it all the pieces on the journey forward.”
Reserve Drivers Mick Schumacher and Fred Vesti will cowl Lewis and George. Mick will proceed within the position he held in 2023, whereas Fred will step as much as this place after graduating from the Junior Programme.
Teamwork with HPP
One other key contributor to the journey described by Lewis and George is Mercedes AMG Excessive-Efficiency Powertrains (HPP). Regardless of being restricted to solely reliability upgrades of the Energy Unit, Brixworth has been targeted on delivering each millisecond of efficiency attainable below the laws.
“We’ve labored extremely intently with our team-mates in Brackley,” Hywel Thomas, Managing Director of HPP, defined. “All of us have our piece of the jigsaw we’re answerable for. We’re at all times how we maximise our half and work collectively to create the strongest attainable bundle. Regardless of the homologation of the Energy Unit, there’s nonetheless efficiency we are able to convey.”
This may be discovered via the environment friendly integration of the Energy Unit annually into the chassis and gearbox or the work on the dyno forward of testing to make sure mileage is maximised as soon as the W15 E Efficiency hits the observe.
“We’re targeted on offering the highest-performing but additionally essentially the most dependable product we are able to. This 12 months, reliability is arguably much more necessary than in 2023.”
That’s due to the record-breaking size of the 2024 calendar, which is available in at 24 races.
“It’s fairly an enormous problem,” Hywel admitted. “We all know that not ending races is detrimental to your factors scoring, so it’s an enormous focus. The change to the laws to make sure we nonetheless have 4 Energy Items throughout the season is useful. However we all know that with the longest calendar in F1 historical past, our capacity to create essentially the most dependable and performant product attainable will nonetheless be examined.”
The present era energy unit homologation, together with decreased dyno hours, is designed to permit producers to stay up for 2026. HPP is totally having fun with that problem.
“It’s glorious to have a rule set that has attracted new producers and has a transparent real-world relevance,” concluded Hywel. It’s an opportunity to showcase our expertise, revolutionary approaches, and the probabilities the game can convey. It’s glorious, and other people smile as they sort out this mission.”
The Subsequent Step
The W15 will get its first laps at Silverstone later at the moment. From there, the main focus turns to Bahrain.
Toto stated: “We’re intrigued to see how the automobile will carry out. We hope to have solved among the inherent issues, and we are going to get our first indications of our progress throughout pre-season testing. From there, we are going to perceive extra in regards to the problem forward of us. There are not any crystal balls on this sport. However we are going to not less than know the hole we purpose to shut. Our ambition is powerful, and we’re able to get going.”
