Even earlier than the primary race of the 12 months, staff principal Toto Wolff reacted to Hamilton’s criticism of the W14, however admitted the entire idea wanted to be reconsidered instantly.
A deliberate improve for Imola (the sixth race of the 12 months) would not be sufficient, Wolff stated, and now Mercedes has defined how their courageous “zeropod” philosophy might change and hinted at a timetable.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes Floor Engineering Supervisor, stated: “Individuals have a tendency to make use of the phrase idea when speaking about pontoon design. Toto had stated lately that we’re contemplating a revision that can come within the subsequent races.
“Given the hole to the entrance, we are going to after all be taking a look at greater begins and extra drastic adjustments.
“However these adjustments take time to show right into a quicker answer within the wind tunnel. You may’t do them in a single day. There’s lots of growth you could do round any kind of huge geometry change on this space.
“We’re taking a look at the place we are able to enhance the automobile, we’re on the lookout for potential to develop and you will notice seen adjustments to the automobile over the following few races.
“That hole in qualifying was fairly huge, we have been greater than half a second off the entrance. Within the race it was even greater.
“It was made worse by the truth that if you get the tire degradation, you slide a bit extra, the tires run hotter. You find yourself discovering it very troublesome to maintain them below any form of management.
“There are lots of issues we have to perceive, however the primary factor is to beat this long-term deterioration, which was a powerful level for us final 12 months.
“Clearly now we have one thing that is not in the correct place that we have to work on.
“However on the finish of the day the opposite factor is that efficiency hole from the entrance. The uncooked tempo of the automobile will not be ok.
“We’re working very laborious proper now to determine what we are able to do within the quick time period and medium time period to attempt to put ourselves in a greater place.”
Hamilton has beforehand denied that Mercedes has a ‘Plan B’ model of the 2023 automobile and claimed F1’s value cap prohibits them from constructing two completely different ideas concurrently.
The W14’s lean sidepods stand out in apparent methods from different vehicles on the 2023 grid – notably Aston Martin, their buyer staff, which overtook them within the season-opening Bahrain F1 Grand Prix.
Aston Martin makes use of a Mercedes-powered engine, so Fernando Alonso’s overtaking of Hamilton and his podium end highlighted the issues confronted by Wolff’s staff.
