2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Luscion]

i will say today has got to be very encouraging for Merc. A lot of people, myself included thought they'd be miles off on a track like this with mostly long straights, but they were catching and passing cars while they also had drs open, their deg was really good while also running a very low downforce wing, bono commented a few times about just how good Lewis was managing the tires. New floor direction seems to be working for them well

Yeah me too. I thought they'd lose one second with the main straight here, but with the low df wing they were among the fastest cars in the straights. But it also had to do with the cooler temperatures allowing them to run the PU harder than normal. Looked like the third best car, with not much separating them from Ferrari.

Obviously higher temps but I do wonder if Merc are going to try and find a way to push their PU again in Abu Dhabi seeing how much it helped and that Ferrari are right there in points

[AMG.Tzan]

Wouldn’t it be better for Mercedes to finish 3rd instead of 2nd in the standings??

I mean extra development time…

[Spoutnik]

It looks like they're doing their best to fi,ish 3rd so they must think the same way

[214270]

Slept through a banger it appears. Was the pace good enough to actually be in the mix for the win or where the Ferrari & Rb a step quicker all incidents aside?

[organic]

Slept through a banger it appears. Was the pace good enough to actually be in the mix for the win or where the Ferrari & Rb a step quicker all incidents aside?

A win no but best of the rest behind the RBs and Ferraris

[Bill_Kar]

It was certainly weird watching Mercedes have that great top speed. He gained a lot even without DRS in that last section where the S/F is.

Agree with Organic, certainly the 3rd fastest car, bar RB and Leclerc's Ferrari. Also a nice surprise, I thought that Las Vegas would be a massacre. Tyre management was not an issue as many of us thought based on Friday's runs. Huge bammer with LH and GR incidents, a 3-4 or 4-5 was definitely doable.

[DGP123]

A what if race for Lewis, if not for that incident with Oscar. Basically was in front of Perez on that hard, and well in it. Great recovery drive. As for Russell, pretty meh. Turns in on Max, ruins his race, and then ends up beaten by Lewis after qualifying third, and Hamilton having a puncture and having to come from the back.

[Bill_Kar]

A what if race for Lewis, if not for that incident with Oscar. Basically was in front of Perez on that hard, and well in it. Great recovery drive. As for Russell, pretty meh. Turns in on Max, ruins his race, and then ends up beaten by Lewis after qualifying third, and Hamilton having a puncture and having to come from the back.

Lewis had a great race, I mean he was feisty enough and that car felt alive in the first stint, but is there an indication that he could be on Checo's pace throughout to the end? I mean in terms of telemetry. Because if yes, then theoretically he could even fight for P2. Hard to decipher though, not much of clean air running to be sure.

While I'm slightly disappointed, I think outright race result matters less, the car was supposed to struggle here and it showed potential, I feel this is more important. Cautiously satisfied overall!

[mkay]

If I am Mercedes, I wouldn't care too much about P2 in the WCC. Better to get more wind tunnel and CFD runs for 1H 2024.

[r85]

Toto said it helps the team more if they finish P2 in the standings because of the prize money. Besides, Mercedes didn't exactly utilize that extra wind tunnel time properly last winter even though they finished 3rd...

[Luscion]

Merc were the fastest in the straights, did not expect expect that

[mstar]

If I am Mercedes, I wouldn't care too much about P2 in the WCC. Better to get more wind tunnel and CFD runs for 1H 2024.

I agree HOWEVER it means a couple thousands bonus for the race team finishing P2 vs P3. Lewis mentioned this in Singapore its important for the team. remember bonus structure is based on performance of the team P2 you get x money more which is shared and renumeration is calculated accordingly. With cost of living in UK i am sure the team members who work such long hours, away from family would welcome a couple more £££ in the pay packet. Yes it means nothing for lewis and george but the poor team members it could mean a good xmas for the family or a poor one.

[mstar]

If I am Mercedes, I wouldn't care too much about P2 in the WCC. Better to get more wind tunnel and CFD runs for 1H 2024.

I agree HOWEVER it means a couple thousands bonus for the race team finishing P2 vs P3. Lewis mentioned this in Singapore its important for the team. remember bonus structure is based on performance of the team P2 you get x money more which is shared and renumeration is calculated accordingly. With cost of living in UK i am sure the team members who work such long hours, away from family would welcome a couple more £££ in the pay packet. Yes it means nothing for lewis and george but the poor team members it could mean a good xmas for the family or a poor one. I think Ted Kravitz mentioned its quite a big bonus the race team get finishing 1st in WCC.

[AR3-GP]

If I am Mercedes, I wouldn't care too much about P2 in the WCC. Better to get more wind tunnel and CFD runs for 1H 2024.

It's a competition. As it turns out, both Merc and Ferrari care quite a lot about that P2. I initially thought some teams might prefer the gamesmanship of the windtunnel hours, but we have all been proven wrong. It simply doesn't happen. It's not rewarding enough.

[DGP123]

The WT scale is overplayed, especially between one or two positions. Take the dough every day of the week. That’s the motivator for employees.