In the latest Mercedes YouTube video with Andrew Shovlin – the team’s Trackside Engineering Director – he was asked about the expectations regarding the upgrades on the 2023 car.
Shovlin talked about the journey from the disappointment of a car with little hope of fighting for the World Championship, to the work done by the entire team to try and get back on the top step of the podium.
The updates coming are for long-term development, moving away from the current concept in the hope of catching Red Bull down the track.
“Well, if we go all the way back to Bahrain test, Bahrain race, that was were we realised that we didn’t have a package that was going to allow us to fight for a World Championship.
“And if we continued on that same development direction we wouldn’t end up in a position were we felt we could challenge Red Bull.
“So it was around that time that we took some decisions on how we develop the car, how the car works aerodynamically, how we shape the characteristics of the car. So how it is in terms of handling.
“What we are going to be bringing to the track in Imola is the first step, really, of the work.
“So this takes quite a long time to develop in the wind tunnel. You can’t just doing these things overnight.
“But the Imola package are the first steps in that direction.
“Now we’re hoping to bring other updates later in the year. We do hope that it’s quicker. We hope it’s better in terms of qualifying and race pace.”
As the consequences of the tragic weather conditions in the Emilia-Romagna region will not allow the GP to take place, a spokesperson for the team confirmed to parcfer.me that the upcoming updates will “yes, [appear] in Monaco.”
“But as I said, the key thing is we’re not just looking to bring a lap time update, we’re looking to head off in a different development direction. One that we think gives us a better chance in the long-term of being able to challenge for race wins and World Championships.”
One thing is clear, the project implemented by Mercedes promises to be a work in progress with the aim of getting them back to where they feel they belong.
Photo Credit: @MercedesAMGF1
