In a move that’s sure to grab attention, Mercedes is planning to reintroduce an upgraded floor for their F1 car at the Dutch Grand Prix. This comes after the team abandoned the same floor in Belgium last week due to performance surprises.
The upgraded floor was initially introduced to boost the performance of the W15 car. However, during the practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps, Mercedes was puzzled by a lack of pace and decided to revert to the old floor configuration for the rest of the weekend.
Despite this setback, Mercedes remains confident in their upgraded floor. They believe the issues faced in Belgium were not related to the floor itself but rather to mechanical aspects associated with the setup for the Spa track’s middle sector.
Team principal Toto Wolff expressed optimism about the upgrade, explaining that the team would reintroduce the floor at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August. He emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough analysis to ensure there are no lingering problems.
“I think we made a drastic change to recover some performance, but we believe it wasn’t the floor,” Wolff stated. “It will be interesting when we put everything on the car in Zandvoort and see what it does. Then we can be sure if it’s the mechanical setup or an interaction issue.”
Mercedes has had a strong season so far, with three wins in the last four races, including victories at the Austrian, British, and Belgian Grands Prix. This positive trend has fueled hopes for a strong finish in the constructors’ championship.
However, Wolff cautioned that it is too early to make predictions. “I think we need to keep both feet on the ground,” he remarked. “The performance swings show a positive trend for us, while some other teams are struggling. But there are still ten races to go, and it’s a tough fight.”
As the summer break concludes, all eyes will be on Mercedes and their revamped floor. Whether this gamble pays off will be seen on the track at Zandvoort. The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce, but Mercedes is cautiously optimistic.
