Mercedes F1 Talks About Upcoming Upgrade Package For W14
Giancarlo Perlas May 13, 2023The Mercedes F1 team is set to reveal a significant upgrade package for the W14 race cars at the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin disclosed that the team has been working on the upgrades for several months to address their struggles in the early season and attempt to catch up with Red Bull.
Mercedes F1 Team Upgrade Plans
The Mercedes F1 team has begun planning a significant upgrade package for their W14, which is due to be revealed at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Shovlin explained that the upgrades have been in development for several months and are the beginning of a different development direction for the team.
W14 Early Season Struggles
The Mercedes F1 team knew from the Bahrain testing period that they would not be able to put themselves in title contention this season. The team was struggling to compete against Red Bull’s dominant form and had to make significant changes to the W14 race car early in the season. However, they ended the 2022 season strongly, with a one-two finish at Interlagos, giving them hope for this year’s campaign.
Mercedes’ Different Development Direction
According to Shovlin, what will be on show for Mercedes at Imola is just the beginning of what will be a different development direction for the team. The Mercedes F1 team is keen on trying a new approach to find the necessary improvements to catch up with Red Bull.
Catching Up with Red Bull
Mercedes, along with the rest of the field, is in the position of playing catch-up with Red Bull, which is leading the World Championship this year. Shovlin stated that the team had never seen a magic bullet to find a significant portion of lap time with one upgrade package, but the upcoming upgrade package is a step towards bridging the gap between Mercedes and Red Bull.
Final Thoughts on the Upcoming Mercedes F1 Upgrade
The Mercedes F1 team is set to reveal a significant upgrade package for their W14 at the upcoming Emilia Romagna GP, which is just the beginning of a different development direction for the team. The team is aiming to catch up with Red Bull, which is currently leading the World Championship in both the drivers and constructors rankings.
The upgrades have been in development for several months to address their early-season struggles. The team is hoping that these will give them the necessary edge to compete with Red Bull.
Watch the video here, for more insights from Shovlin during the post-Miami GP race debrief:
