2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[f1jcw]

A lot must be going through Lewis's mind during the car launch, and he does look visibly uncomfortable.

I couldn't see anything wrong with him, looked smiling to me, people might be seeing what they want to see.

[Farnborough]

A lot must be going through Lewis's mind during the car launch, and he does look visibly uncomfortable.

I couldn't see anything wrong with him, looked smiling to me, people might be seeing what they want to see.

Understandable nervousness that they've made another "shitbox"

I dont think there's anything to read into it, both he and Toto have given pragmatic statements about this year, and with honestly given outlook.

For what it's worth, I feel the car looks pretty competent and with much more the calm hand of JA in evidence of tempering both wild design route and expected results not being pushed to stratospheric proportion. Appears initially to be right in the mix of it's contemporary opposition.

Also feel that LH is going to be at absolute maximum this year, with much to prove on a personal level. Reckon other's are going to be in for a surprise.

[CHT]

A lot must be going through Lewis's mind during the car launch, and he does look visibly uncomfortable. It is as though a pair of Ferrari's eyes are now lurking around in Merc's garage, examining the new W15 innovation. Like what many punters have said, it is odd for Lewis to make such an announcement this early in the season,

It is so that Mercedes have time to find another driver, before contracts are signed.

There is really no such thing as goodwill or friendly competition in F1. Come 2025 LH will be competitor to Merc and if Merc still wish to become champions they will have start shifting their focus away from LH unless GR is a total flop for 2024.

[Quantum]

How's the W̶1̶4̶ W15 driver seating position compared to last year's car?

Much further back. A very good thing. Hard to tell if it's now in that driver-ideal goldilocks zone though. Someone will likely do a before/after shot soon.

[KimiRai]

Our editorial team learned that once placed on the seven post rig (dynamic bench) there was some concern regarding the rear suspension. The necessary work developed over the winter to change the kinematics caused the vehicle dynamics group to spend many sleepless nights.

Fortunately, from the information in our possession gleaned yesterday, during the first seasonal outburst Mercedes found the expected correlation which had set off a small alarm bell in recent days. The rear axle of the W15 , therefore, responded positively, finally delivering the expected results. Naturally, further checks are awaited in Bahrain

https://www.funoanalisitecnica.com/2024 ... sione.html

[Luscion]

https://formu1a.uno/mercedes-ieri-a-sil ... -febbraio/

Mercedes had already anticipated that it might find the track wet, and so had considered holding only a 15-kilometer shakedown on English soil - the ones Ferrari did at Fiorano on the day of the presentation. Instead, the 200-km filming day will be held directly in Bahrain on Feb. 20, the day before the three-day official test. Along with the W15 on that day, the Alpine and Williams will also perform their first 200km of on-track action. A choice made in order to maximize and optimize the time spent on the track, both for commercial but also technical purposes, being able to perform more 'accurate' testing with optimal track conditions.

[Luscion]

Merc themselves replied to the post, it was just a demo day so they could only do 15km, wonder if they're going to use their allotted 200km for filming in Silverstone still or wait until Bahrain next week

[AR3-GP]

How has the development of this car been different compared to previous years?
"A new chassis and gearbox were standard for every year, pre-budget-cap. The latter usually forces you to choose, but there are teams like us who have opted to change both. There is no doubt that having a new outer gearbox casing and at the same time having a new chassis, are two great projects that take a part of our financial means. This means that in other parts of the car we didn't push very hard in development. "

https://formu1a.uno/allison-rifare-il-t ... della-w15/

[Luscion]

How has the development of this car been different compared to previous years?
"A new chassis and gearbox were standard for every year, pre-budget-cap. The latter usually forces you to choose, but there are teams like us who have opted to change both. There is no doubt that having a new outer gearbox casing and at the same time having a new chassis, are two great projects that take a part of our financial means. This means that in other parts of the car we didn't push very hard in development. "

https://formu1a.uno/allison-rifare-il-t ... della-w15/

At least they seemed to have focused on their biggest issues, aero efficiency, drs, and stability/handling

[f1jcw]

Merc themselves replied to the post, it was just a demo day so they could only do 15km, wonder if they're going to use their allotted 200km for filming in Silverstone still or wait until Bahrain next week

They are using it in Bahrain next week

[chrisc90]

Seems a little strange doing that given you have 2 days of unlimited testing to do.

[Rootsap]

Seems a little strange doing that given you have 2 days of unlimited testing to do.

I suppose it will give them some feedback whitch tells them what areas need additional testing and refinement.

[taperoo2k]

Seems a little strange doing that given you have 2 days of unlimited testing to do.

15km to shake down the car isn't that strange. Just means you don't have to use 15km of the
200km testing on that part of the process. Any obvious issues can also be resolved ahead of shipping
the cars to Bahrain for testing and the race.

[AR3-GP]

15km shakedown is for system checks. Standard. You need to make sure there are not any blatant software or mechanical issues and that if so you can rectify them before the test, instead of losing the entire test because of a trivial fault.

[mzivtins]

There is no confidence at Merc at all. In all the quotes from Toto and the team you see no-one who is firmly sold one what they have.

It is very much "we will see what we have and how things go" this mirrors the last two seasons of wallowing in a directionless manner.

When you compare that the the decisive comments by McLaren when a direction was chosen, it is very clear.

If Mercedes had any hope of being top three with a design it would have immediately energised the entire team.

This year I feel that mclaren will be to the 2024 merc what rbr were to the 2023 merc.

Any slither of comment from the team is all incredibly downbeat. That is not the sign of a winning team.