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ESPN’s Laurence Edmondson says Mercedes’ Imola upgrades “could still be a key turning point for Mercedes’ fortunes under the current technical regulations”.
Mercedes is set to introduce a significant upgrade package for their 2023 car this weekend at Imola, and the hope is that it will help the team get back on the right development path.
While everybody is eagerly awaiting to see what Mercedes has been working on, ESPN’s F1 Editor Laurence Edmondson took a look at what is known so far.
“The upgraded parts are not expected to eliminate the gap to the front this weekend, far from it,” Edmondson wrote in his column.
“But they should provide the foundations for future improvements that will chip away at Red Bull’s advantage.
“The hope within Mercedes is that it will open up a new, more fruitful development direction that will ultimately allow the team to challenge for championships again in the coming years.”
Edmondson added that the upgrade is not just about performance.
“The aim of the Imola upgrade is not simply about adding performance but finding a better balance for the drivers and a more benign platform on which to add downforce where it is needed,” he wrote.
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He then took a look at the biggest changes everybody is expecting to see.
“Speaking to the media in recent weeks, Wolff has been quite open about the planned changes for Imola, listing front suspension, bodywork (believed to be focused around the sidepods) and a new floor as the main upgrades.
“The new sidepod design is expected to be the most visible change, with Mercedes likely to depart from its infamous zero-sidepod design to something more conventional.
“However, the team has stressed on numerous occasions that its unique sidepods, which were first introduced ahead of the 2022 season, are not the main reason for its underwhelming performance.”
However, Edmondson thinks the most important changes will not be that obvious.
“However, the most important upgrades in Imola will likely be more subtle. In recent weeks Wolff has emphasised the importance of changes to the front suspension to improve the balance of the car and create a more stable platform to extract aerodynamic performance.
“If the new suspension, in tandem with changes to the floor, can allow Mercedes to run the car at a lower ride height with more predictable results, it has the potential to unlock significant performance.”
He then emphasized the fact that due to the budget cap, Mercedes is not able to produce a completely new car
“However, the Imola upgrade should not be confused with an all new car. Aside from anything else, there is not the financial freedom under the budget cap to introduce a new chassis design before 2024, and Allison, who is now overseeing Mercedes’ day-to-day recovery as technical director, says it is important to keep the good parts from the existing car.”
In conclusion, Edmondson thinks the upgrade could prove to be a turning point for Mercedes.
“Finally, F1 is a relative game. If Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin all make gains over the coming rounds, the fruit of Mercedes’ labour may not be that obvious on track.
“Nevertheless, if it provides a future development direction with more potential than the previous one, it could still be a key turning point for Mercedes’ fortunes under the current technical regulations,” he concluded.
You can read Edmondson’s entire analysis here.
