Mercedes says its “unusual” dominance of Formulation 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix has given it some clues about what it must get its automobile within the candy spot subsequent yr.
After a tough spell for the reason that summer season break, as Mercedes fell again behind McLaren, Ferrari and Pink Bull, the German marque shocked even itself with how fast it was in Las Vegas final weekend.
It was quickest in each session, with George Russell successful from pole and Lewis Hamilton recovering from tenth on the grid to assist ship the crew’s first 1-2 for the reason that 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Whereas Mercedes doesn’t have a correct rationalization as to why it was in a category of its personal across the avenue observe, it thinks the cool temperatures had been a crucial consider permitting it to beat an issue it has had in overheating its rear tyres this yr.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stated: “It is chilly. I believe that clearly you possibly can correlate the place we have been sturdy.
“We have been sturdy in Silverstone, we have been sturdy in Spa, after which right here in Las Vegas. I believe it is simply preserving the automobile in its candy spot, the tyres within the optimum window.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Staff, 2nd place, sprays George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Staff, 1st place, with Champagne on the rostrum
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
“It exhibits that the automobile will be very, very fast. We had been two seconds faster than our competitors at instances, when George was pushing, and for the remainder of the day he was simply managing his tempo.”
One side that Mercedes doesn’t totally perceive although is why it escaped the graining issues that different groups – particularly Ferrari – suffered within the race.
“Yeah, unusual,” stated Wolff about that phenomenon. “We had been able to pushing each time we needed to. There was no graining interval, neither on the medium, nor on the onerous.
“Charles tried a couple of instances to place strain on George, which he defended nice.
“I do not know what the end result would have been of that, however he fell off [the cliff], Leclerc, after a couple of laps. He could not maintain the tempo, we did not ever see the signal of graining nor degradation.”
Wolff thinks there is also a component of Mercedes’ greatest weak point – of a rear finish that overheats its tyres as a result of it retains breaking traction – truly proving to be a power this time in serving to preserve its rubber in the appropriate working window.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24 battles with George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“Whenever you break traction and it is sizzling, then you definately sort of swing out of the window on a regular basis,” he stated. “And while you break traction right here, that was truly useful to maintain the temperatures up on the time.
“So clearly, there’s a sample that some groups actually love the chilly and extract numerous efficiency. And there are some groups which were so sturdy when it was sizzling.
“Singapore, the McLarens for instance, they dominated they usually simply managed it in the way in which they needed. So, yeah, it will be essential to discover a steadiness for subsequent yr.”
Whereas not but having the total reply as to why issues performed out the way in which they did in Vegas, Wolff sees alternative for Mercedes in digging deep into the information within the hope of discovering one thing that may give it a greater path for 2025.
“This one is a very essential consequence,” he stated. “You may have fluctuations over the weekend, after which usually you possibly can see we have been good right here [in practice], then we have been not so good in that session.
“However right here, each single session, we had been forward. So a number of good knowledge that permit us to say at the very least we all know what our candy spot is, and that is the place we should be. It’s then looking for out how we will hit that concentrate on extra usually.”
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