Mercedes is facing difficulties in achieving strong performance in qualifying under the new ground effect regulations. The team acknowledges that there is still work to be done to be competitive in qualifying with their Formula 1 car for 2024, when the season starts in Bahrain next week. To overcome the challenges of the past two years, Mercedes has undergone a complete overhaul of their challenger W15, in accordance with the latest ground effect regulations. The difficulties with the old charger W14 resulted in both Mercedes drivers struggling to consistently deliver in qualifying last season. Despite an impressive late performance by George Russell in the final session, Mercedes mainly focused on long runs during pre-season testing. However, Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, admitted that the team is still behind their main rivals in terms of single lap pace. Shovlin expressed confidence that there is more to come from the team as they continue to fine-tune the setup and aim for strong performance on track. Mercedes sought to address the issues with the rear of their predecessor with their latest car, the W15, in order to have a more flexible foundation. Both Russell and Lewis Hamilton praised the improved driving experience with the W15, indicating that Mercedes has successfully resolved the behavioral limitations that had hindered them in the past. However, Hamilton acknowledges that Red Bull remains the team to beat this year, but sees the W15 as a solid foundation to build upon.
