Lewis Hamilton conquered the changeable conditions of Silverstone to win the British GP. The 7-time Champion showed tremendous pace in wet and dry conditions, proving his calibre and experience. Of equal significance, for the first time in years, Mercedes have a car capable of regular wins. There is more good news for the Silver Arrows, who have upgrades on the way.
Mid-season development has always been a central aspect of Formula 1. However, the budget cap has raised the stakes across the field. Efficiency is rewarded, and miscalculations are punished.
For Mercedes, it was this reality that haunted them twelve months ago. The incorrect development path sat out by Mike Elliot was hugely damaging. With James Allison, however, the situation at Brackley has been completely reversed.
Mercedes upgrades work as expected, more on the way
The turning point for the W15 was in Monaco, when Mercedes introduced a new front wing specification. This was accompanied by a series of other fresh components in the subsequent rounds, which put the W15 in its optimum operating window.
Moreover, these changes corrected the previously inconsistent correlation at Brackley. Data from the wind tunnel now matches perfectly with the reality on track, giving the team great confidence moving forward.
Speaking a few weeks ago, James Allison gave some fighting talk about the trajectory from Brackley. He emphasised that last year’s limitations are firmly in the past, speaking confidently about the rest of 2024:
“I also know what we have got coming. I also know what we are planning to further improve the car.”
2024 British Grand Prix, Saturday – Sam Bloxham
As revealed by the Mercedes Technical Director several weeks ago, more upgrades are incoming.
In fact, the next sequence of races before the summer break will be crucial. Toto Wolff wants his personnel to consolidate their progress before the second half of the season begins. Should their next upgrades offer them even a few tenths, they can regularly fight at the front.
Even without a significant step compared to their rivals, the Silver Arrows have proven why they were dominant for almost a decade. The operational errors committed on a regular basis by McLaren are not present at Mercedes.
Assuming that the German outfit avoids the downward spiral currently happening at Ferrari, there is every reason to expect more wins down the line. After all, this year’s W15 represents a relatively new aerodynamic philosophy for the team.
Unlike Red Bull, who have maintained a consistent concept since 2022, Merecdes have spent the last twelve months in transition. Only a relatively modest step forward is necessary from Mercedes – especially since Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari have already brought the lion’s share of their updates.
Although the 2023 season was painful, the rest of 2024 is an opportunity to capitalise on the sacrifices made last season.
