Mercedes’ W14 and its predecessor W13 have an uncommon design with skinny, ‘zero measurement’ facet legs. Group Principal Toto Wolff, nonetheless, acknowledged that his aerodynamic ideas had been “confirmed fallacious” by the success of his rivals.
Mercedes solely took one win final yr, after Lewis Hamilton’s first season of his profession was undefeated. In Saudi Arabia on Friday, staff principal Wolff stated they have been striving for fulfillment in W14 and final yr’s W13, however the design idea was “confirmed to be fallacious”.
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“I believe we tried actually arduous to get this to work, as a result of the info we predicted confirmed that it labored. And we have been very merely confirmed fallacious. [Red Bull and Aston Martin]Together with the three quickest automobiles, the Ferraris, they’ve an analogous idea of how they produce efficiency, and it’s totally completely different from ours.
“And at a sure stage we got here to the conclusion: We acquired it fallacious. Merely, we acquired it fallacious. Why did we get it fallacious, we’re nonetheless analyzing as a result of we comply with the info and comply with what the simulations inform us, by which that knowledge could have misled us.”
Wolff stated, “All of us concerned within the decision-making got here to the conclusion: ‘We won’t go on like this.’ We actually tried to keep it up, and by no means can we wish to run down a one-way road saying, ‘We will do that it doesn’t matter what,’ as a result of it would not work. And I do not wish to waste any extra time.”
Talking to Sky Sports activities F1, the Mercedes boss revealed that the W14 may quickly enter a really completely different kind.
“I believe the automotive will look very completely different in 5, six or seven races, relying on the choices we have made and the event path we have began.”
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Nevertheless, Wolff remained restrained in assessing whether or not Mercedes may overhaul their total automotive and beat Crimson Bull within the coming months, given the associated fee cap that impacts each staff on the grid.
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“I believe it is out of the query to vary the chassis, as a result of there is not sufficient price range in the associated fee ceiling. However altering the way in which the aerodynamics and bodywork work is completely throughout the scope.”
“Our targets: I want to win each race from Sunday, however that’s unrealistic. The targets are based mostly on the understanding now we have now, in subsequent updates and studying iterations, we could cut back many of the efficiency.” It is clear, as a result of now we all know and now we have all determined which solution to go.”
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