Concerns Raised Over Mercedes F1 Upgrades Ahead of Singapore GP
Concerns have been raised regarding the recent upgrades made by Mercedes in Formula 1, with broadcaster Will Buxton suggesting that these changes may have cost the team up to half a second in lap time. Team principal Toto Wolff has indicated that the modifications to the floor and sidepods might not have delivered the expected performance improvements.
The upgrades were introduced during the Bahrain Grand Prix, aiming to enhance medium-to-high speed downforce. However, during the qualifying session at the Sepang International Circuit, drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell qualified third and seventh, respectively, with Antonelli finishing second and Russell retiring due to a power unit issue.
Buxton speculated on the Up To Speed podcast whether the upgrade was flawed or simply not suited to the Malaysian track conditions. He noted that while the upgrades were intended to improve cornering speed, they might have inadvertently reduced straight-line speed, leading to a potential loss rather than a gain in performance. Mercedes plans to conduct back-to-back tests in Singapore to compare the old and new specifications, although the limited practice session due to the sprint weekend may pose challenges.
