Mercedes F1 will introduce new parts to W13 at the F1 British Grand Prix as part of an ongoing effort to “move the car forward”.
In the previous Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton finished 3rd on the podium and George Russell finished 4th. In contrast to Baku, Mercedes F1 has shown that it is proceeding to solve the complex aerodynamic problems it was suffering from.
Silverstone has been a very successful hunting ground for Mercedes F1 for the past nine years, winning all but one race during that period. However, Mercedes F1 team representative Toto Wolff has suppressed his expectations that excessive expectations are forbidden.
Mike Elliott, technical director of Mercedes F1, has also spared no effort to improve W13, but encourages crews to think realistically about the team’s outlook.
“One of the sure things you can do is push as much as you can,” Ike Elliott explained on the Mercedes F1 YouTube channel.
“We bring new parts to Silverstone. We are moving the car forward and trying to get some pace from the current car or package and from the new parts we plan to add.”
“But at the same time, I think we have to be honest with ourselves. At this point, we’re a bit behind Ferrari and Red Bull front runners. I think it’s going to be tough in regular races.”
The Mercedes F1 now believes it has a solid grasp of the problem of porpoising, but bunching still occurs when the car is driven a few millimeters off the ground to take advantage of the ground effect effect.
However, Mike Elliott expects Silverstone’s layout and road surface to be slightly suitable for the W13.
“I think Silverstone will be a little better circuit for us like Barcelona, but it can be a little difficult,” said Mike Elliott.
“No matter what happens, we push as hard as we can. We want to get back to victory, so the driver pushes as hard as we can.”
“We want to win for the team. We definitely want to win. And we want to win for you and your fans. Let’s see what happens.”
Category: Category: F1 / Mercedes / F1 British GP
