The Mercedes W13 car is threatened by the museum if it shows no signs of healing this weekend.
Mercedes mechanics completed the W13 on Thursday for the weekend. AOP
Before, everything was better.
In the formulas, it meant that no one paid attention, for example Michael Schumacherin workaholic.
48 hours before the summer of 2000, the German driver was able to run 115 laps on the Fiorano track just because of the new parts.
And when Schumacher left for Budapest, the test driver continued Luca Badoer track rotation.
Testing was actually at the heart of the F1 job. The garages burned millions as they developed new parts and tried to find an even faster solution for their cars.
However, a lot of gasoline has flowed into the internal combustion engine to get us into modern times. The tests are limited to a few funny days before the start of the season, and with the new parts there is little to it and here.
The F1 teams will have to operate under a $ 140 million ceiling. It should also accommodate renovations caused by possible crashes and exits.
In practice, this means that during the early part of the season, F1 cars have seen exceptionally few upgrade parts. The Spanish race this weekend has traditionally served as a water dispenser, with stables bringing heavily improved versions of their cars there.
Now there are fears that the old versions will continue in Catalonia as well.
Looking at Mersu
The reason is simple. The strong duo of the early season, Red Bull and Ferrari, have both largely managed to avoid the bouncing that inevitably accompanies ground effect cars.
Since no one can still fully explain the history of the bounce, it would be a risk for a more powerful rear wing or new Aero parts to derail the car with Mercedes.
At Mersu, the situation is exactly the opposite.
It’s understood there that this season will be sportingly over if the W13 doesn’t finally wake up to the battle for top spots.
The theoretical lap time created by the computer would be enough even for the Silver Arrow to pile on the Catalan motorway. The only problem with the stable is that the car has not been able to drive “full” because the bouncing has started at much lower speeds than its competitors and has risen above the tolerance limit.
The story continues after the picture.
Toto Wolff’s smile coagulates if Mersu doesn’t get the bouncing discipline. AOP
The key is at the height of the W13. The theory is based on the fact that a car could drive the base close enough to the asphalt.
In practice, this has not been possible because the diffuser in the base plate “clogs” and causes bouncing and the Silver Arrow is impossible to control.
Tough decisions
The good thing about the Montmeló track is that the data collected from there can be compared directly to the winter test readings. In other words, after the free practice on Friday, the Mercedes team will know if the team has made any progress.
And has it been done enough.
If the answer to either question is no, the team leadership will face some really tough decisions.
– All options are still on the table. We can compare this car to winter tests, and then look in the mirror, team manager Toto Wolff promised two weeks ago after the Miami race.
– We are still loyal to this concept. We don’t blink at the neighboring stables to see if things are better there or not. But very quickly we are at a point where we need to make critical decisions.
Such would be to record the current season as a loss and to transfer the energy of the stable to the design of the car as early as 2023. Lewis Hamilton is currently 68 points leading the World Series Charles Leclerc after.
The events of the sixth GP Friday of the F1 season can be watched on VSport’s channels and on Elisa Viihde Viaplay’s broadcasts starting at 14.55 and at 17.55.