Despite Mercedes unveiling their initial season update package during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Team Principal Toto Wolff has revealed that the W15 will need “several races” to make more progress. The Brackley-based team has had a disappointing start to this season. After challenging seasons in 2022 and 2023, Mercedes has faced even more difficulties on track this year. In 2024, the W15 has struggled to compete with Red Bull, Ferrari, and even McLaren. The Woking-based team recently secured a victory at the Miami Grand Prix, with Lando Norris triumphing in his debut race. However, Mercedes could only finish in sixth and eighth place in the state of Florida, currently finding themselves fighting in the midfield. The main concerns with the W15 have been its lack of downforce and handling difficulties, resulting in a volatile rear end and struggles to maintain grip with the tires. Despite introducing a floor update in Florida, Mercedes will unveil their substantial initial season update package at Imola. However, Wolff stated that their 2024 contender will need “several races” to show more progress. He expressed, “The first six races haven’t been easy, but we have gained a comprehensive understanding of the areas that need improvement and have outlined a clear strategy to address them. It will take some time before we see positive results, but everyone is working diligently to accelerate the process. In the meantime, we will strive to maximize the potential of our current package. We have additional updates planned for Imola, and we hope they will guide us in the right direction.”
