The troubled Spa flooring, which triggered some uncertainties for Mercedes, appears set to by no means return to motion in System 1.
Simply earlier than the summer season break, Mercedes introduced an upgraded flooring to the Belgian Grand Prix that it hoped would enable it to make one other step ahead with its kind in 2024.
Nevertheless, after some complicated behaviour with the automotive in observe because the crew experimented with set-ups, the German producer eliminated it for the race as Lewis Hamilton went on to take an sudden triumph.
Regardless of the troubles of its Spa debut, Mercedes was satisfied that the brand new flooring was a step ahead in efficiency so dedicated to bringing it again into motion.
It carried out back-to-back experiments with the brand new flooring at each the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix, finally concluding that it was certainly higher and so raced with it.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Photographs
Nevertheless, off the again of some comparatively disappointing performances in these races in comparison with how sturdy Hamilton and George Russell had been earlier than the summer season break, Mercedes elected to not take the ground to Baku final weekend to guage how the W15 carried out with out it.
However, with the squad nonetheless enduring a weekend of fluctuating fortunes the place its efficiency patterns aren’t completely clear, it has elected to stay with the previous flooring for Singapore once more this weekend. It’s understood that the scenario has additionally been inspired by its spare components scenario and the logistics of back-to-back races.
And now, as work on the manufacturing facility is concentrated on a brand new upgraded flooring that’s coming for the US Grand Prix, it means the Spa flooring can be consigned to historical past until the Austin design proves to be a complete flop.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff mentioned that the stability issues that the crew has confronted not too long ago with the W15 appear to be frequent with each the previous and new flooring.
Talking about what occurred in Baku with the previous flooring, Wolff mentioned: “We nonetheless suffered from the identical stability efficiency that now we have on the brand new flooring. So in Singapore, we nonetheless have the identical one.
“We have to race that. However, from Austin onwards, we’d in all probability go to a brand new spec.”
Talking concerning the Austin upgrades that had been coming, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin mentioned this week that the step could be fairly huge.
“Properly as the spec of the automotive is all the time evolving, we’re all the time making an attempt to carry efficiency each race,” he defined.
“However, for the time being, our essential focus is on bringing a much bigger bundle to Austin. Then we get into the ultimate six races of the 12 months and there can be smaller issues past that.
“However definitely what we’re working for for the time being is a much bigger replace to the automotive on the Austin race.”
