Mercedes has lost its supremacy in the hybrid era since the introduction of the new regulations in the 2022 Formula 1 season. The racing team is working hard to become competitive again and is already looking forward to the 2024 season.
Andrew Shovlin, the Silver Arrows’ chief engineer, has already identified one area where Mercedes can make a big leap forward: suspension.
Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell do not seem to trust the rear axle of the W14, also because the cockpit is significantly further forward than in previous years’ versions. However, there will only be a solution in the 2024 season, when a new chassis is built for the premier class. The two pilots will therefore have to be patient for a while before improvements can be made.
But Mercedes is not standing idle, because the nervous driving behavior of the W14 should be nipped in the bud as early as 2023 with the planned upgrades to the car. The racing team has already introduced new sidepods and a revised front suspension, which was used for the first time at the Monaco Grand Prix. The new shape aims to improve the car’s stability, but also optimize airflow.
Shovlin says: “We’re playing with the geometry to influence the aerodynamics and make the car more stable. That gives us more freedom, because it used to be a problem to have a stable front axle when approaching the apex. It was missing also the stability when entering the corner, i.e. when braking and at the turn-in point. That was a compromise that we have not been able to accept so far.”
Shovlin hopes for positive developments
Mercedes had to make a decision: either the rear was nervous entering the corner or the front of the car didn’t offer the desired stability at the apex. “I hope we’re moving in the right direction now,” says Shovlin. However, since the upgrades were only introduced in the middle of the season and the basic concept has its pitfalls, Mercedes will have to make compromises again and again, also to stay within the cost limit.
For the 2024 season, Mercedes is already focusing on the rear suspension, which is set to be significantly improved. Shovlin explains: “We have basically developed a new suspension for this year. Suspensions are expensive, so depending on the championship level we always have to look at the costs. But there is a lot of potential in this area that we can now explore.”
According to Mercedes’ chief race engineer, development is about making the combination of the car’s dynamics and aerodynamics work as a unit. “Every team has to go through this process,” he says. “We are looking at the possibilities and looking for a solution so that both areas work together and form a package.”