Mercedes F1 To Introduce “Pretty Ambitious” Upgrades For The W15
Giancarlo Perlas December 16, 2023Mercedes F1 is currently running “a pretty ambitious development” program for the W15 on the way to 2024. That’s according to the team’s technical director, James Allison.
What are the Upgrades for the W15 Mercedes F1 Car?
Mercedes F1 Technical Director James Allison hopes his team is on the right track this time. He is optimistic that the upcoming W15 will punch their ticket to the championship next season during an interview with the Performance People podcast.
Allison didn’t elaborate on the direction they’re heading for the W15 aside from it being “pretty ambitious” but the rumor mill suggests Mercedes is finally heeding Lewis Hamilton’s previous recommendations. One key issue raised by the seven-time F1 Drivers Champion was the positioning of the W13 and W14’s cockpits, saying they are being too far forward.
In the aftermath of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton complained about the cockpit layout which made him feel like “sitting on the front wheels.” He explained that it placed him in an uncomfortable position, especially during roundabouts. The W15 may adopt a laid-back cockpit by five to 15 centimeters as advised by the driver.
Meanwhile, others claim Mercedes may also be looking to overhaul its transmission. For the 2023 season, the W14 used an eight-speed, hydraulically actuated, semi-automatic sequential transmission Mercedes co-developed with Xtrac.
There’s not much detail poured into this, but W15 may be gambling towards a narrow gearbox similar to Red Bull. But then again, this could ultimately benefit Mercedes F1’s technology partner, Aston Martin, which will further add to the challenges they may face next season.
Toto Wolff’s Hints
Mercedes F1 Team Principal Toto Wolff recently shed some light on the incoming overhaul in the 2024 race car. The team boss’ statement was very general but he did comment that the weight distribution, aerodynamics, and chassis will undergo radical transformations.
Wolff said the upgrades will surely make his drivers happy.
