Lewis Hamilton is looking forward to the 2024 season with optimism, believing that Mercedes will perform better after recent setbacks. Mercedes struggled to compete with Red Bull and Ferrari after the new ground effect technical regulations were implemented in 2022, despite their early success in the turbo-hybrid era. Despite finishing second in the constructors' championship in 2023, they failed to see a notable improvement in their performance.
In the pre-season test at Sakhir, Hamilton showed an encouraging pace, and Mercedes kept the zero-pod concept from last year's Brazilian Grand Prix with the W14. The squad, however, was over half a second behind Max Verstappen, who had qualified first for the Bahrain Grand Prix. As a result, the W14 underwent an extensive update for the Monaco Grand Prix, which included doing away with zero-pods, tweaking the front suspension, and installing a new floor. Despite showing early hints of catching up to Red Bull, Mercedes failed to finish higher than fourth or fifth place on race days because to the upgrades made by other teams. The fact that Hamilton is so sure Mercedes will come back stronger indicates that the team is refocused and determined to overcome the performance issues they've been experiencing as of late.
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F1: The Mercedes W15
Lewis Hamilton was optimistic about Mercedes regaining their peak form in a recent post-season interview. Mercedes is getting ready to unveil the W15, a brand new model, next year after getting rid of the zero-pods and fixing the suspension. The plans for a complete revamp, including alterations to every part of the car, were revealed by team principal Toto Wolff.
The chassis and gearbox options, which limited the team's advancement in the past, are now at the centre of this revision. The choice to use a large gearbox in the W14 seemed to add unnecessary drag, which affected the car's performance and led to less-than-ideal outcomes.
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With the impending winter break coming up, the Brackley-based team is making the most of this time to reevaluate and improve its ideas, as is the case with all Formula One teams. The W15 is expected to include a simplified gearbox and a drastically altered, more conventional chassis, marking a break from ideas that might have impeded their performance in prior seasons. Mercedes' dedication to regaining a competitive position in the next season is highlighted by their holistic approach, which aims to overcome hurdles.
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