After Mercedes’ drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished in eighth and sixteenth position respectively at the Brazilian Grand Prix, the team has been hard at work to identify the wrong turn they took in the car’s development.
The crew have been hard at work dissecting the missteps that made the race the team’s toughest challenge this season following Russell’s retirement from the race with only 14 laps to go.
The W14’s poor pace from Saturday’s Sprint race carried into Sunday’s race, with Wolff deeming their performance to be “unacceptable.” He claimed that:
“Brazil was probably our most difficult weekend of the season.”
Despite these struggles, the team’s resilience has shone through as they have attempted to unravel their issues and improve the car for the neon lights of Las Vegas.
“We have been hard at work to identify the wrong turn we took with the set-up; we have done that. We understand our mistakes and can explain our performance loss to the field. That’s important as we look to secure P2 in the constructors’ championship.”
After significant work at the factory since the race, the team principal is confident that lessons have been learned, and changes will be made before the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
With the new and unique circuit, Vegas is a “complete unknown” and the team has prepared as best they can, using the limited information available to anticipate the realities of the track.
With the schedule throwing the team’s a curveball, Wolff explained:
“We’ll be running at night, where ambient and track temperatures will likely be in the single digits.
“Plus, the track layout itself is unusual with many slow corners but long straights. It’s going to be a big challenge for us all and we’re looking forward to taking it on.”
On and beyond the track, Wolff anticipates a spectacle in Las Vegas that transcends the typical race weekend format, and the commercial impact of the event is set to be monumental.
With the media frenzy and dazzling lights of the strip, it’s going to be a showstopper.
“Media interest will be through the roof and seeing the cars race down the Las Vegas Strip will be one of the most exciting moments of the season. The eyes of the sporting world will be on F1, and we look forward to putting on a spectacular show. It is going to be something truly special to witness.”
