Why Mercedes is suddenly an F1 frontrunner again

Summary

Mercedes' unexpected strong performance at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix marks a significant turnaround from a challenging start to the season. George Russell's pole position and podium finish, along with the team's improved competitiveness, suggest Mercedes is overcoming past weaknesses with new front wing and floor upgrades. Despite Lewis Hamilton's disappointing qualifying, the team's progress is promising, with rivals taking notice and anticipation growing for their potential return to form.

Takeaways

• 🏎️ Mercedes had a poor start to the 2024 season but achieved a significant turnaround with a podium finish at the Canadian Grand Prix.
• 🌧️ Rainy conditions in Canada played to Mercedes' advantage, disrupting practice sessions and affecting the usual pecking order.
• 💨 George Russell secured a shock pole position and finished third, showing Mercedes' improved competitiveness.
• 🚫 Ferrari was notably absent from the race, and Red Bull was not in its comfort zone, allowing Mercedes to capitalize.
• 🔧 Mercedes made visible changes to its car, including a new front wing design that contributed to better performance.
• 📉 Mercedes struggled with a narrow setup window and under-steer issues earlier in the season, which they've been addressing.
• 🔄 The new front wing design helped Mercedes run with enough load and low enough to improve front-end grip without causing instability.
• 🛠️ Mercedes also made unseen floor modifications and other aerodynamic adjustments to improve the car's overall performance.
• 📈 The team's progress is not just about the front wing; it's part of a series of upgrades that have led to better handling and grip.
• 👨‍💼 Team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged Mercedes' improved understanding of the car after years of development challenges.
• 🔍 The upcoming race in Barcelona will be a crucial test to see if Mercedes can replicate its recent success on a more conventional circuit.

Q & A

How did Mercedes describe their start to the 2024 season?

Mercedes described their start to the 2024 season as 'really embarrassingly crap'.

What was Mercedes' first achievement of the season mentioned in the script?

Mercedes' first achievement of the season was securing a podium finish at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Who was the pole sitter and third place finisher for Mercedes at the Canadian Grand Prix?

George Russell was the pole sitter and third place finisher for Mercedes at the Canadian Grand Prix.

What factors contributed to Mercedes' improved performance in Canada?

Factors contributing to Mercedes' improved performance in Canada included intermittent rain disrupting practice sessions, Ferrari being out of the picture, and Red Bull not being in its comfort zone over the circuit's curbs.

How did Mercedes' front wing design evolve over the season?

Mercedes initially had a unique front wing design with a reduced width of the top flap and a gap inboard either side of the nose. However, they later adopted a more conventional design with a straighter bottom edge to improve front-end grip and widen the car's operating window.

What was the initial problem with Mercedes' car that they aimed to address?

The initial problem with Mercedes' car was a lack of rear-end stability at high speed, which they aimed to address by improving downforce on the rear.

How did Mercedes' understanding of the car evolve, leading to changes in the front wing design?

Mercedes realized that a more conventional front wing design was necessary to feed energized airflow to the front of the underfloor and to run the car low enough to produce maximum downforce without creating excessive downforce in one area.

What was the significance of the changes made to the floor of the Mercedes car?

The changes made to the floor of the Mercedes car, including modifications to the floor body and edges, were part of the essential changes to improve the car's performance, working in conjunction with the new front wing to provide a wider operating window and better grip.

How did the performance of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton differ in qualifying during the 2024 season?

George Russell outperformed Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, with a record of 8-1 in favor of Russell on Saturdays in 2024.

What was Lewis Hamilton's self-assessment of his performance at the Canadian Grand Prix?

Lewis Hamilton lamented his performance at the Canadian Grand Prix as one of his worst ever drives, indicating that he did not maximize the car's potential.

What does Mercedes need to do to ensure their improved performance is sustained?

Mercedes needs to repeat their performance on more conventional circuits and prove that their recent progress is rooted in more than just the unique conditions of certain races, such as the rain-affected Canadian Grand Prix.

Outlines

00:00

🏎️ Mercedes' Unexpected Turnaround at the Canadian Grand Prix

Mercedes experienced a significant turnaround in the 2024 season, achieving its first podium with George Russell's pole position and third-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite an initially poor performance, the team showed increasing competitiveness, capitalizing on factors such as rain-affected practice sessions and a less dominant Red Bull. The team's performance was attributed to a combination of improved aerodynamics, including a new front wing design that provided better balance and downforce, and a wider operating window for the car. Mercedes' progress was evident in the acceleration zone and the handling of the car in slow and fast corners. However, the team's performance was not consistent, with Lewis Hamilton struggling with disappointing qualifying results and self-critiqued driving. The improvements made to the car's front wing and floor upgrades were key to enhancing the car's grip and stability, suggesting that Mercedes may be on the right path to replicating this success in future races.

05:01

🔧 Mercedes' Technical Progress and Hamilton's Qualifying Struggles

Mercedes' progress in the 2024 season is not solely attributed to the front wing but also to other aerodynamic improvements, including a more controlled flexibility and wider floor upgrades. These changes have given the team a stronger front end and a better overall grip on the car, as noted by McLaren's team principal. Despite these advancements, Mercedes still faces challenges, particularly with Hamilton's qualifying performance, which has been overshadowed by Russell's. Hamilton's struggles continued at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he qualified seventh after a disappointing end to Q3. The reasons for Hamilton's performance issues varied, including different tire conditions and potential overdriving on corner entry. Despite the setbacks, Hamilton acknowledged his responsibility in the outcome and the impact on the race results. The team's improved performance offers motivation for Hamilton to make small but crucial adjustments to his approach, which could lead to better qualifying results and a stronger position in future races.

Keywords

💡Mercedes

Mercedes refers to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, a dominant force in the world of Formula 1 racing. In the video's context, it discusses the team's challenging start to the 2024 season and their turnaround with a strong performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, highlighting the team's resilience and ability to adapt to challenges.

💡Canadian Grand Prix

The Canadian Grand Prix is a Formula 1 race held in Canada, and it is one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar. The script mentions Mercedes' impressive performance at this event, marking a significant turning point in their season with their first podium finish and a pole position secured by George Russell.

💡Podium

A podium in racing signifies a top-three finish in a race. The script discusses Mercedes' first podium of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix as a key indicator of their improving performance and competitiveness in the racing series.

💡George Russell

George Russell is a British racing driver who competes for Mercedes in Formula 1. The script highlights his role as the shock pole sitter and third-place finisher at the Canadian Grand Prix, emphasizing his contribution to the team's turnaround.

💡Rain-hit race

A rain-hit race refers to a motorsport event that is significantly affected by rain, leading to challenging conditions for the drivers. The script describes how the Canadian Grand Prix was affected by intermittent rain, which played a role in disrupting practice sessions and affecting the performance of various teams.

💡Ferrari

Ferrari is another prominent team in Formula 1, known for its competitive history and iconic status in the sport. The script notes that Ferrari was out of the picture at the Canadian Grand Prix, indicating that external factors, such as weather conditions, can significantly impact the performance of top teams.

💡Red Bull

Red Bull Racing is a Formula 1 team known for its success and competitive spirit. The script mentions Red Bull's struggle at the Canadian Grand Prix, suggesting that the team was not in its comfort zone, which allowed Mercedes to capitalize on the situation.

💡Front Wing

The front wing is a crucial aerodynamic component of a Formula 1 car, influencing its downforce and handling. The script discusses the evolution of Mercedes' front wing design, which was initially unique but later changed to a more conventional design to improve the car's performance and stability.

💡Downforce

Downforce is the force that pushes a racing car's tyres onto the track, improving traction and stability. The script explains how Mercedes aimed to improve rear-end downforce and how the front wing design was intended to enhance airflow to the underfloor, contributing to better overall performance.

💡Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton is a world-renowned British racing driver, a multiple-time Formula 1 World Champion, and a key member of the Mercedes team. The script discusses his performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, noting a disappointing qualifying session that affected his overall race outcome.

💡Qualifying

Qualifying sessions in Formula 1 determine the starting positions for the race. The script highlights the importance of qualifying performance, as seen with both George Russell's pole position and Lewis Hamilton's less successful qualifying run, which significantly impacted their respective race strategies and outcomes.

Highlights

Mercedes experienced an embarrassing start to the 2024 season but managed a turnaround with its first podium in the Canadian Grand Prix.

George Russell secured a shock pole position and finished third, contributing to Mercedes' season-best performance in a rain-affected race.

Mercedes showed increasing competitiveness in recent races, building hopes for overcoming the challenges of the current era.

Ferrari's absence and Red Bull's discomfort on the circuit played into Mercedes' favor in Canada.

Mercedes and Red Bull had identical lap times in qualifying, indicating a close match in performance.

The differences in car performance between Mercedes and Red Bull could be attributed to wing levels and gearing choices.

Mercedes' improved performance is linked to changes in the front wing design, moving away from a unique concept to a more conventional one.

Mercedes' new front wing design contributes to a wider operating window and better front-end grip.

Mercedes has made progress in understanding and addressing the weaknesses identified from the previous year.

The team has made aerodynamic improvements beyond the front wing, including unseen floor modifications and body changes.

Mercedes' performance in Montreal was its fastest over a single lap, noted by rival team principals.

Mercedes' progress feels more rooted and real than previous breakthroughs, according to George Russell.

The upcoming race in Barcelona will be a significant test for Mercedes to prove the sustainability of its recent performance.

Lewis Hamilton's qualifying performance has been inconsistent compared to his teammate George Russell in 2024.

Hamilton acknowledged his responsibility in his disappointing grid position and the impact on the race outcome.

Mercedes' improved performance provides motivation for Hamilton to make small improvements in qualifying.

Transcripts

given Mercedes had a self-described

really embarrassingly crap start to 2024

it's a hell of a turnaround for us to be

asking should it have won the Canadian

Grand Prix after toiling in the early

races Mercedes has now capped a run of

increasingly encouraging performances

with its first Podium of the Season

shock pole sitter and third place

finisher George Russell who fought for

victory for much of this rain hit race

admitted the team's season best

performance seemed to come a bit from

nowhere in Montreal but it wasn't

entirely a bolt from the BL Mercedes had

already shown signs of Greater

competitiveness in recent races building

hopes it might be getting on top of this

Ru era after all yes there were factors

in Canada that went in Mercedes favor as

intermittent Rain Led to disrupted

practice sessions and a slightly jumbled

pecking order part of that was Monaco

winner Ferrari being out of the picture

entirely and Red Bull not being quite in

its comfort zone over the curbs of this

circuit yet in any other race this

season it would not have been Mercedes

being primed to take advantage it's

didn't even have a Podium before this

weekend let alone look like it might

fight for victory but that's exactly

what it did and to be honest the Canada

weekend looked different from the start

Lewis Hamilton looked particularly on it

in practice then Russell took charge

going quickest in qualifying for his

first poll in two years this meant the

Mercedes was a match for Red Bull for

the second time in two races as remember

Russell beat Max V stappen in Monaco

here it was literally a match as they

set identical lap times in qualifying

even though V stappen went on to win the

Grand Prix in that Saturday Dead Heat

the two cars did their times very

differently the Mercedes eased clear of

the red bolt in the acceleration Zone

from the slow corners while the Red Bull

was quicker going into those Corners

some of those differences could just be

the chosen Wing levels for each car as

the Red Bull appeared to be carrying

more downforce but it could also be the

Mercedes slightly shorter gearing is

better suited to punching it out of

these particular Corners inevitably

circuit characteristics and the

suitability of them to these two cars

were massive factors Red Bull reckoned

the low grip track caused by so much

rain also favored Mercedes but again a

track suiting Mercedes and not suiting

Red Bull earlier in the season would

definitely not have led to Russell

leading the first stint and fighting in

the lead group to the end the only

question is whether or not more could

have been achieved Russell seemed to

overuse his intermediates early on which

eventually cost him vital track position

and he also made a mistake later in the

race that dropped him behind mcclaren's

Lando Norris as well Hamilton probably

did the better job of the two in the

race but he was too far out of the

picture from the start because of a

disappointing qualifying and he actually

lamented his performance as one of his

worst ever drives that was probably an

exaggeration but this was definitely not

a Grand Prix Iva driver could be said to

have maximized which means something was

left on the table on the day Mercedes

had its best opportunity of the year as

Hamilton said the car was capable of

winning even though Mercedes boss Toto

wolf played down whether it truly had

the pace to so given how bad the season

started how did Mercedes get into this

position and can it be replicated in

future

races the most obvious change Mercedes

has made visually to its car lately is

to its front Wing Russell ran it in

Monaco when there was only one available

but in Canada Hamilton had it too if you

think back to the beginning of the

season the unique Mercedes front Wing

design was a big talking point Mercedes

effectively reduced the width of the top

flap by having a gap inboard either side

of the nose connected by a narrow strip

of carbon fiber to satisfy the

regulations that front wi concept is now

consigned to history it would be easy to

condemn that design as a mistake but it

wasn't early in the year it was a

performance gain but as Mercedes

understanding evolved it realized a more

conventional design was the way to go

and that's all because of the weaknesses

Mercedes has gradually worked through

last year the big problem was a lack of

rear- end stability at high speed so a

key development objective was to improve

the downforce on the rear as part of

that the front Wing design was conceived

to as Mercedes technical director James

Allison puts it inject some Vigor

Downstream which means to feed energized

air flow to the front of the underfloor

but improving that rear end instability

wasn't just about that the front wings

of these cars can themselves be very

powerful in ground effect ideally you

want to run the cars low to produce

maximum downforce but if you have the

front Wing too low you end up creating

excessive downforce in one area pinning

the front of the car and creating a big

imbalance hence it made sense to reduce

the load of the front Wing a little by

cutting back that top flap the trouble

that Mercedes has battled this year is

that the setup window of the car is too

narrow and often that's meant

problematic under steer in slow Corners

if corrective action was taken to change

that it led to the return of rear end

instability at high speed this new front

Wing has been part of the solution it

also has a straighter bottom Edge and

that appears to play a part in it being

able to run with enough load and low

enough to give good front end in the

slow corners without getting too low in

the fast stuff as the downforce builds

and part of the re Reon this works

appears to be that Mercedes has made

gains in terms of adding controlled

flexibility to the wing that's something

rival teams have clearly been ahead on

as after all while aerodynamic Parts

have to be rigid nothing can be 100%

rigid so this is an important art in

F1 but Mercedes progress is not just

about the front Wing there's more to it

than that it is of course one of the

essential changes but it works with the

wider floor upgrades and there have been

hints of forward momentum in the race is

leading up to Canada indicating that

Mercedes finally does seem to know what

it's doing in Miami there were

modifications to the floor body

including an important change that we

can't see to the floor roof volume and

changes to the floor edges at IMA

further tweaks were made to the floor to

build on that then the front Wing

followed in Monaco and the upshot is a

car that now runs low and has a wider

operating window team principal Toto

wolf says Mercedes now has a grip on the

car after more than 2 years of what he's

called zigzagging and in Montreal the

Mercedes was the fastest car over one

lap as McLaren team principal Andreas

Stella said Mercedes now has such a

strong front end that the drivers barely

need to turn the wheel to get the nose

in the corner speed range in Montreal is

small so let's hold off on being too

definitive especially as in the past

Mercedes has tricked itself and us with

all manner of for Thorns going all the

way back to its first relatively strong

weekend of this rule Zer in Spain 2022

only the sixth round of that season it's

never been sustained but now Rivals are

sitting up and taking notice and when we

asked Russell after qualifying if this

progress feels rooted in something more

real than the previous breakthroughs his

answer was an emphatic yes 100% Mercedes

now really does seem to know what it's

doing and be on the right path it's

going to need to repeat this kind of

performance on more conventional

circuits and Barcelona next up will be a

big test there is still much to prove to

make this performance a regular

occurrence again but whisper it quietly

Mercedes just might be

back the main downside for Mercedes in

Canada was that it didn't have both cars

in the lead fight from the start after

Hamilton yet again faded late in

qualifying he was bumped from second to

a very disappointing seventh at the end

of Q3 which left him running a very

different race to Russell qualifying

continued Hamilton's poor runner form

relative to his teammate it's now 8-1

Russell on Saturdays in 2024 and there

have been different reasons for that

most recently Russell had a faster tpck

in Monaco with the new front wing and

had probably underperformed there in

practice both had the same upgrades in

Canada but again Russell was weaker in

practice learned key tie preparation

lessons from Hamilton's data and

improved while Hamilton made some small

mistakes in Q3 the track was getting

slower in qualifying the wind picked up

and the tires weren't quite in the same

happy place in the changing conditions

so Hamilton was neither quite as

comfortable in the car nor with the

margin of error he had previously but

the pace was there the the execution was

just slightly lacking as he made small

mistakes on both his Q3 laps Hamilton

also seemed to be consistently breaking

later than russle and losing time on

Corner exit which indicates he was

asking a bit too much of the car on

Corner entry possibly Based On A Feeling

from practice that was no longer there

while Russell was a bit more in tune to

what the car needed come qualifying a

couple of weeks ago in Monaco Hamilton

seemed to imply he's being held back

against Russell and claimed he doesn't

expect to beat Russell in qualifying

again this year

the suggestion that performance comes

away from Hamilton's cast specifically

was inevitably inferred as Hamilton

being undermined in some way given he's

leaving Mercedes at the end of the year

to join Ferrari it's hardly unusual for

a driver on the receiving end of

consistent narrow defeats to get a

little bit paranoid wondering why it's

always them but maybe we need to invoke

aam's Razer that the simplest

explanation is likely the correct one

and that is that it would make little

sense for Mercedes to deliberately hold

back one of its drivers and that Russell

just been faster when it's counted

Hamilton's accountability after the race

in Canada suggests he knows this is the

case he accepted he was primarily

responsible for his disappointed grid

position rather than other factors and

he knows the impact that had on a Grand

Prix with big opportunities the silver

lining for Hamilton is as he said this

Mercedes is clearly becoming a car we

can fight with for him personally the

pace is there to match or beat Russell

on Saturdays and his Sunday performances

are not really an issue what Hamilton

needs in his own words is to get his

head on right taking responsibility for

his qualifying results is already a step

towards achieving that because nothing

good will come from assuming he can't

beat Russell on Saturdays or Worse

believing that something is going on to

affect that and there's obvious

motivation to take from Mercedes

improved performance as Hamilton can

start to believe that there are bigger

results to grab if he makes what are

ultimately very small improvements in

qualifying