2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Elite]

What do you guys think the w15 will end up being like then?
It will be the first car this generation made under the complete technical direction of James Allison who has a pretty good track record
Do you think it will be a title contender or in the same kind of position as this year

[CMC]

I expect they'll be able to make the whole car follow one overall "concept" (unlike where they are at the moment), and hopefully it's a better one than the W13 or launch spec W14. I'd be surprised if they don't make a decent step forward in terms of reducing their lap time around any given circuit, but their competitiveness is harder to predict. All teams should come to 2024 with a faster car than they brought in '23. Even if they can separate themselves from SF, AMR, et al. bringing a title challenge to RBR is quite another challenge. I think on most Sundays we haven't even seen more than 95% of Max/RB19's ultimate pace, and they may have developments they are holding back, either due to budget cap, or the desire not to exaggerate their margin any further than needed. I suspect they are running their engines rather conservatively also.

I'm hopeful, but also prepared for disappointment.

[AR3-GP]

I anticipate a more cohesive looking car at minimum.

[organic]

What do you guys think the w15 will end up being like then?
It will be the first car this generation made under the complete technical direction of James Allison who has a pretty good track record
Do you think it will be a title contender or in the same kind of position as this year

I think it'll win multiple races - Barcelona, Silverstone that sorta thing.

An efficient car similar to RB

[j_ste]

What do you guys think the w15 will end up being like then?
It will be the first car this generation made under the complete technical direction of James Allison who has a pretty good track record
Do you think it will be a title contender or in the same kind of position as this year

I think it'll win multiple races - Barcelona, Silverstone that sorta thing.

An efficient car similar to RB

If they are genuinely, on pace, able to win at those tracks. They will be contending for a title...so fingers crossed.

[denyall]

The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

[CMC]

The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

Yeah, to me this is seems like the realistic scenario, although I would greatly prefer the more optimistic outcomes.

[j_ste]

The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

Getting to within two tenths would require a magic speed pill. We still arent totally sure of the full RB speed, right now.

Tis why its hard to predict or hope. Just gotta wait

[denyall]

The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

Getting to within two tenths would require a magic speed pill. We still arent totally sure of the full RB speed, right now.

Tis why its hard to predict or hope. Just gotta wait

Agree

Two tenths as a best case assuming Merc has a very deep understanding of the regs and hits the ground already dialed in most of the way. All evidence points towards that NOT being the case come March... I'll keep hoping for that miracle turnaround I've been holding onto for two years.

[Ollywood1987]

2025 is the earliest Merc expect to fight for a Championship.

[Elite]

I expect they'll be able to make the whole car follow one overall "concept" (unlike where they are at the moment), and hopefully it's a better one than the W13 or launch spec W14. I'd be surprised if they don't make a decent step forward in terms of reducing their lap time around any given circuit, but their competitiveness is harder to predict. All teams should come to 2024 with a faster car
than they brought in '23. Even if they can separate themselves from SF, AMR, et al. bringing a title challenge to RBR is quite another challenge. I think on most Sundays we haven't even seen more than 95% of Max/RB19's ultimate pace, and they may have developments they are holding back, either due to budget cap, or the desire not to exaggerate their margin any further than needed. I suspect they are running their engines rather conservatively also.

I'm hopeful, but also prepared for disappointment.

What do you mean by follow one overall concept? You mean like downwash?

[quote=Elite post_id=<a href="tel:1158019">1158019</a> time=<a href="tel:1694123777">1694123777</a> user_id=47186]
What do you guys think the w15 will end up being like then?
It will be the first car this generation made under the complete technical direction of James Allison who has a pretty good track record
Do you think it will be a title contender or in the same kind of position as this year

I think it'll win multiple races - Barcelona, Silverstone that sorta thing.

An efficient car similar to RB
[/quote]

If it can win these tracks why don’t you think others?

[quote=denyall post_id=<a href="tel:1158033">1158033</a> time=<a href="tel:1694136417">1694136417</a> user_id=46183]
The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

Getting to within two tenths would require a magic speed pill. We still arent totally sure of the full RB speed, right now.

Tis why its hard to predict or hope. Just gotta wait
[/quote]

Mclaren have made big steps this year which would be encouraging. Though they seem to be following the red bull concept which will hit a performance ceiling surely?

[quote=denyall post_id=<a href="tel:1158033">1158033</a> time=<a href="tel:1694136417">1694136417</a> user_id=46183]
The W15 won't be in for P1 on pace. Merc is two years behind and even if everything goes perfectly there is no magic speed pill. Best to hope is to be only a tenth or two behind and have a chance if RB has an off day or poor setup.

Getting to within two tenths would require a magic speed pill. We still arent totally sure of the full RB speed, right now.

Tis why its hard to predict or hope. Just gotta wait

Agree

Two tenths as a best case assuming Merc has a very deep understanding of the regs and hits the ground already dialed in most of the way. All evidence points towards that NOT being the case come March... I'll keep hoping for that miracle turnaround I've been holding onto for two years.
[/quote]

I think the engineers under Allison will probably produce a better car then they have the last 2 years. Though it’s all objective as us Merc fans call it bad but Haas fans would call it a rocket….

[AR3-GP]

2025 is the earliest Merc expect to fight for a Championship.

There are now rumors of a regulations shakeup for 2025:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-e ... /10517669/

[organic]

2025 is the earliest Merc expect to fight for a Championship.

There are now rumors of a regulations shakeup for 2025:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-e ... /10517669/

Probably too late to institute changes for 2024 now, so they have to wait for 2025. That's already the last year of the regs... I guess it opens the door to a possible 2021 rerun

[chrisc90]

2025 is the earliest Merc expect to fight for a Championship.

There are now rumors of a regulations shakeup for 2025:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-e ... /10517669/

Probably too late to institute changes for 2024 now, so they have to wait for 2025. That's already the last year of the regs... I guess it opens the door to a possible 2021 rerun

Odd they let certain things be used this season anyhow.

Look at Merc when they brought the front with slot gap separators - brought them to the table - FIA weren’t fully convinced - and now most teams run them on the grid as they changed the rules to allow to do so.

[SiLo]

2025 is the earliest Merc expect to fight for a Championship.

There are now rumors of a regulations shakeup for 2025:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-e ... /10517669/

Probably too late to institute changes for 2024 now, so they have to wait for 2025. That's already the last year of the regs... I guess it opens the door to a possible 2021 rerun

Really they should have come up with a better solution to porpoising, than cutting the floors away. This would have kept the closer racing their desired.

Or better yet, just allow active suspension for once. It's relatively cheap and means the cars can run nice and low for lots of performance from the diffuser.