The move is aimed at enhancing their performance in the ongoing championship and laying the groundwork for their 2024 campaign. The announcement was made by Rosie Wait, the Head of Race Strategy at Mercedes.
Aiming for Second Place and Beyond
Mercedes is currently locked in a fierce battle for second place in the constructors' championship with Ferrari. This comes after the team's eight-year reign as constructors' champions, from 2014 to 2021, was ended by Red Bull in 2022 following the introduction of new ground effect rules. Despite a challenging start to the year and a major redesign of the W14 in Monaco, Mercedes is yet to secure a race win this season.
In a recent debriefing on Mercedes' YouTube channel following the Japanese GP, Wait explained that while the team's focus has shifted towards the W15, they are still committed to improving the current car in hopes of securing the second position.
Balancing Present Performance and Future Development
Wait acknowledged that the decision to upgrade the W14 isn't as straightforward as it might seem. "While we will have to use the winter to make more fundamental development to the W15, there are plenty of things we can do with the current car which will both make it faster and aid our learning and understanding to develop next year’s car," she said.
The upgrades are expected to boost the car's performance and provide valuable insights for the development of the W15. Wait emphasized the importance of the ongoing battle for second place with Ferrari, stating that the team has more upgrades in the pipeline.
Interesting Projects on the Horizon
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' Trackside Engineering Director, also shed light on the potential changes they are considering. Speaking in Japan, he revealed that the Silver Arrows have some "interesting projects" underway.
"We were doing a lot of work to try and solve some of the problems on this car, make sure that we don't have them next year," said Shovlin. He acknowledged the need to find a significant chunk of performance to challenge Red Bull and adapt to the increasingly competitive field.
Shovlin also highlighted the importance of giving the drivers confidence in the car, indicating that this is a key area of focus for the team. With these upcoming projects and upgrades, Mercedes hopes to regain its competitive edge and prepare for a successful 2024 campaign.
