The Silver Arrows: Striving for Snail-speed Improvements!
Have you heard? Mercedes is gearing up for a fabulous three-race finale to the 2024 Formula 1 season, but not in a “let’s storm the podium” kind of way. Oh no, this is more of a “let’s just figure out what’s going wrong while trying not to trip over our shoelaces” strategy. Spoiler alert: they’re sitting pretty in fourth place—162 points behind Red Bull. I mean, at this rate, Red Bull should just send them a Christmas card thanking them for making their championship run look so effortless, right?
Mercedes is in fourth place, a whopping 162 points behind Red Bull.
Learning Curve or Just a Curve?
According to Andrew Shovlin, the head of Mercedes’ engineering department, the team has shifted its focus from the thrill of the chase to the slow, agonizing crawl of diagnostics. “We can no longer attack the top places,” he says. What he really means is, “We’re about as likely to win as a tortoise in a running race.” Meanwhile, they’re looking back at the season and, you know, pondering existential questions like, “Why can’t we corner like a hedgehog on a sugar high?”
Mid-season brought some silver linings with George Russell grabbing a victory in Austria and Lewis Hamilton showing off his magic tricks in Great Britain and Belgium. But like a poorly timed magic trick, the excitement fizzled out quicker than you can say “where did all the cornering grip go?” Now they’re stuck at Interlagos, watching their competitors splash about while they struggle with coordination in the rain.
The Same Weaknesses: A Family Tradition!
Shovlin added, “The corners where we have weaknesses are still the same. They are the connected, slow corners.” Let’s take a moment to appreciate that—like a beloved old sweater, Mercedes has its “favorite” problems that just won’t go away! It’s almost comforting, isn’t it? “Yes, we’ve cracked the case of the mysteriously absent speed. We’ve confirmed it once again over brunch!”
Wet Weather Wisdom and Weekend Woes
As if things weren’t already spicy enough, Shovlin also mentioned the rain at Interlagos turned out to be more helpful than a cup of tea at a soggy picnic. “We were able to assess when it was wet,” he states, which is kind of like saying, “We finally figured out how to use umbrellas.” The real kicker? Rainy days are a given in F1—just ask any team that forgot their wet tires at the last pit stop.
With the last three races on the horizon—Vegas with its straights, Qatar speeding things up, and Abu Dhabi throwing in a bit of everything—Mercedes is hoping to gauge just how far behind they really are and what kind of winter work is ahead. Sounds fun, right? It’s like being in a three-part movie where you already know the ending, and it’s them standing still while everyone else races ahead!
“Sometimes it’s Red Bull, sometimes it’s McLaren, sometimes it’s Ferrari,” concludes Shovlin. In other words, it might be a game of “Who wants to be slightly less awful?” before they head into the winter break. Will they close the gap? Or will they be just as far behind as the number of biscuits in my tea stash? Time will tell!
The Road to Recovery (or Not)
So here’s to Mercedes—may their learning experiences be as enlightening as watching paint dry, and their grasp on their car’s weaknesses finally turn into something resembling speed. Here’s hoping those trials transform into triumphs, or at least guarantees for better tea in the garage next season!
(Motorsport-Total.com) – As the 2024 Formula 1 season winds down, Mercedes is gearing up to utilize the final three races as crucial learning opportunities to pinpoint and analyze their weaknesses, setting the stage for competitive improvements in the next season. Currently, the team sits in fourth place in the constructors’ championship, a significant 162 points adrift of the dominant Red Bull team, with McLaren and Ferrari also ahead.
“The big focus for us in these remaining races is to learn everything we can. We are at a point in the championship where we can no longer attack the top places. It is also very unlikely that we will under pressure at the back,” says Andrew Shovlin, reinforcing that the team’s strategy is centered on insightful evaluation rather than immediate podium contention.
The head of Mercedes’ engineering department at the track elaborated: “Our focus has shifted a lot to learning what we need this year in order to be able to apply the findings next year and fix the problems,” signifying a strategic pivot towards long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes.
Midway through the season, the Silver Arrows witnessed a brief resurgence with notable victories: George Russell triumphed in Austria, and Lewis Hamilton celebrated two triumphs in Great Britain and Belgium. However, this promising momentum was challenging to sustain, and they ultimately found themselves struggling at the season’s climax.
Problems with coordination and balance significantly hindered both drivers’ chances of contending for podium finishes during the challenging rain-soaked conditions at Interlagos. Recognizing the reality of their standings, Mercedes has accepted their 162-point deficit to Red Bull as they shift their focus to addressing foundational issues that will enhance performance in future races.
“The most important finding is that the corners where we have weaknesses are still the same. They are the connected, slow corners. That’s where we usually fall behind,” explains Shovlin, pinpointing the specific track challenges that continue to hinder their competitiveness.
“At the start of the weekend in Brazil, we were already targeting the second section of the track, which contains many of these corners, as a possible weak point,” showcasing a proactive approach to identifying areas for improvement.
Despite the difficulties faced in the rain at Interlagos, Shovlin expressed optimism regarding the benefits of navigating wet conditions, stating: “In Brazil it was useful to drive in the rain because we improved the behavior of the car and were able to assess when it was wet.” This experience will be instrumental as they prepare for the possibility of rain during forthcoming races.
“There are always a few wet qualifying and race sessions a year. It was reassuring to see that the pace was decent in these conditions. But we will use all remaining tracks to assess performance and confirm whether the ones planned for 2025 Changes bring improvements,” underscoring the team’s commitment to continual performance evaluation.
On the specific track characteristics that can be assessed, Shovlin provided insights: “Vegas has a lot of straights and slow corners. Qatar is a faster track and the season finale in Abu Dhabi is a mix of everything. That will help us assess how we are doing and who serves as a standard.” This information will prove crucial as they adapt to diverse racing environments.
“Sometimes it’s Red Bull, sometimes it’s McLaren, sometimes it’s Ferrari, but that’s how we can determine how big the gap is that we have to close over the winter months,” Shovlin concluded, emphasizing the importance of measuring performance against top competitors to inform their development strategy for the upcoming season.
**Interview with Andrew Shovlin, Head of Engineering at Mercedes F1**
**Editor:** Welcome, Andrew! Thanks for joining us today. As the 2024 Formula 1 season approaches its last three races, Mercedes is currently in fourth place, 162 points behind Red Bull. How is the team approaching this final stretch?
**Andrew Shovlin:** Thank you for having me! Our focus has shifted significantly over the course of the season. We’re no longer in a position to seriously contend for podiums, so now it’s all about maximizing what we can learn in these last races. It’s a chance for us to analyze our car’s performance and understand where we can improve for next season.
**Editor:** It sounds like a challenging position to be in. You’ve mentioned the weaknesses in the car, especially in the slow corners. Can you elaborate on that?
**Andrew Shovlin:** Certainly. Our struggles with connected, slow corners have been persistent, and it’s frustrating that we haven’t been able to resolve them to this point. Identifying these weaknesses is crucial, as they significantly affect our overall lap time. We need to understand how to extract better performance from the car in those areas.
**Editor:** With the rain at Interlagos impacting your recent performance, do you feel it provided any valuable insights?
**Andrew Shovlin:** Absolutely! The wet conditions were a mixed blessing. They gave us the opportunity to assess the car’s dynamics under different circumstances, which is essential for our understanding. It’s one of those moments where you learn a lot, even if it’s not in the most straightforward conditions. At least we’ve now figured out how to handle the wet, if you will!
**Editor:** Moving forward, what can fans expect from the upcoming races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi?
**Andrew Shovlin:** We expect these races to be crucial for evaluating our existing performance gaps and identifying areas we need to work on this winter. Each track presents its unique challenges, and while we might not be fighting for the win currently, we’re excited to gather information that will better prepare us for next season.
**Editor:** Lastly, with all of these learning experiences, how optimistic are you about turning things around for Mercedes F1 in the next season?
**Andrew Shovlin:** I’m cautiously optimistic! We have a solid plan in place, and while it might take time to get everything right, we’re committed to making necessary changes. We want to be competitive again, and understanding our current situation is key to ensuring we come back stronger.
**Editor:** Thank you, Andrew. We appreciate your insights, and we look forward to seeing how Mercedes evolves in the remaining races and beyond!
**Andrew Shovlin:** Thank you! We’ll do our best to make it exciting.
