2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[AR3-GP]

There are many factors effecting the final weight of the car. You have plank wear, tire thread, and the pickup. It was more than likely just an honest mistake. Hamilton's car was not the same as Russell's. Hamilton had a heavier two element beam wing.

[mwillems]

"The car was not fully drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents as TR Article 6.5.2 is fulfilled."

Now that can be read in 2 different ways. The first is the way many seem to be, which is to read it as Mercedes not draining the according the a declared draining procedure, ie that they were trying to cheat and cover up that the car was underweight. The other is that the team declared in their draining procedure that they had not fully drained the car, ie they informed the FIA that there was still fuel in the car and were not trying to hide anything.

FIA only want the unfueled weight. Therefore it is the first interpretation.

[Matt2725]

I don`t think it was anything to do with fuel as the car must reach 798kg with no fuel at all. The ballast theory is more likely although the tyre theory with regards to maximum wear and no chance of pick up to add weight could cover it.

The tyres must weigh at least 8/9kg...

Just a cock-up by Merc with they have taken on the chin!

I think it was tyres. If they can pick up as much as 400g per tyre in loose rubber on a cool down lap, then surely it stands to reason that switching to a 1 stop could mean they lose a similar amount more rubber over the extra 15-20 laps?

As noted at the top of this page, Alonso and Stroll did only a couple fewer laps on their second stint on a one stop strategy just like George and they both made the minimum weight without picking up marbles.

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

They wouldn't be pushing anything like the level George was at the end. His fastest lap was on the last lap. That alone would easily account for the difference in wear levels.

[AR3-GP]

Russell had no tire deg.

[Venturiation]

I think it was tyres. If they can pick up as much as 400g per tyre in loose rubber on a cool down lap, then surely it stands to reason that switching to a 1 stop could mean they lose a similar amount more rubber over the extra 15-20 laps?

As noted at the top of this page, Alonso and Stroll did only a couple fewer laps on their second stint on a one stop strategy just like George and they both made the minimum weight without picking up marbles.

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

They wouldn't be pushing anything like the level George was at the end. His fastest lap was on the last lap. That alone would easily account for the difference in wear levels.

The fastest lap was only because he had the lighter car

[Venturiation]

Russell had no tire deg.

https://i.postimg.cc/QVLKjvSR/image.png

Confirms hamilton's comment on being pitted when tyres were still fresh

[GrizzleBoy]

I think it was tyres. If they can pick up as much as 400g per tyre in loose rubber on a cool down lap, then surely it stands to reason that switching to a 1 stop could mean they lose a similar amount more rubber over the extra 15-20 laps?

As noted at the top of this page, Alonso and Stroll did only a couple fewer laps on their second stint on a one stop strategy just like George and they both made the minimum weight without picking up marbles.

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

They wouldn't be pushing anything like the level George was at the end. His fastest lap was on the last lap. That alone would easily account for the difference in wear levels.

Looking at the F1 live tracking replay they also put on new tyres at the end of the race so my point doesn't stand as well, although Kmag did almost 30 laps on his tyres too.

Regardless of pushing level, the tyres weren't degrading or shedding much anyway. Hence him doing 3/4 of the race on one tyre.
There's a picture of George's tyres that look like they're barely used.

[Matt2725]

I think we're being a bit disingenuous. They were clearly a lot more worn than Hamilton's for example. Just because the surface was relatively clean, just means that the tyres were through the graining stage and the track was gripping up constantly (as claimed by numerous drivers including Russell).

[214270]

Russell had no tire deg.

https://i.postimg.cc/QVLKjvSR/image.png

None of the top 6 showed deg at any point, frankly. The new tarmac being the cause most likely.

[Just_a_fan]

BAR were banned for two races for what appears to be exactly the same behaviour.

BAR had a special separate tank which they used to cheat the system. The current issue is a simple under weight cock-up.

Big difference.

"The car was not fully drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents as TR Article 6.5.2 is fulfilled."

Not only was it underweight, but the fuel was also not drained by the team in the way that they had declared. An unfortunate coincidence?

BAR had a second tank that enabled them to run underweight for the race but fill up to weight at the last fuel stop. That's very different to the current cars. What we're seeing here is likely just a mess up on ballasting the car.

[JordanMugen]

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

Yes, a very elementary error for Mercedes GP despite being an experienced race team with 26 years in Formula One.

But they will fix it and make sure not to repeat it, presumably.

I do wonder if it's tyre tread wear and lack of pickup from no cooldown lap contributing to the 375g discrepancy per tyre
(1.5kg/4), but Mercedes GP haven't admitted that (yet) if so.

[organic]

Russell had no tire deg.

https://i.postimg.cc/QVLKjvSR/image.png

Confirms hamilton's comment on being pitted when tyres were still fresh

Shame then as he could've easily done the same as Russell, not that it matters now

[JordanMugen]

Shame then as he could've easily done the same as Russell, not that it matters now

So too could McLaren have not pitted Piastri and Norris. McLaren's strategy was not very attacking. But neither was Hamilton's.

If Hamilton intended to run a one stop, obviously he should have overruled the instruction to pit. (Same for Piastri and Norris.)

Russell [like Sainz?] does like a plucky call from the car, which is amusing (and often results in disaster too, of course).

[flmkane]

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

Yes, a very elementary error for Mercedes GP despite being an experienced race team with 26 years in Formula One.

But they will fix it and make sure not to repeat it, presumably.

I do wonder if it's tyre tread wear and lack of pickup from no cooldown lap contributing to the 375g discrepancy per tyre
(1.5kg/4), but Mercedes GP haven't admitted that (yet) if so.

If you're going to count the previous incarnations of the Brackley team, you might as well say '57 years' since THIS Mercedes used to be Tyrell.

I must admit, 375 gram discrepency per tyre seems like a LOT. Enough for me to feel a bit disturbed in fact. Surely this can't be the whole reason.

[Matt2725]

So for some reason, George had a car that was a couple kg lighter than it should have been at all competitive parts of the weekend, given nothing is allowed to be changed as soon as the car leaves the garage in Q1.

Yes, a very elementary error for Mercedes GP despite being an experienced race team with 26 years in Formula One.

But they will fix it and make sure not to repeat it, presumably.

I do wonder if it's tyre tread wear and lack of pickup from no cooldown lap contributing to the 375g discrepancy per tyre
(1.5kg/4), but Mercedes GP haven't admitted that (yet) if so.

Merc have been quoted as stating they believe it was tyre wear.

https://x.com/chrismedlandf1/status/181 ... 239564432?