Mercedes will fundamentally change its car for the 2024 season, and according to their team boss, the budget cap will not limit it.
Mercedes is pleased to run its new range and has already indicated that it has planned two further development steps for the first half of the season. They are confident they can become a Red Bull contender in the second half of the year and win races.
Their rival, Lewis Hamilton, also seemed content with the improvement in recent weeks, but has repeatedly said they must focus on the 2024 car, because while it’s not this year, they can still become a championship contender from race one next year.
The team admitted that their hands were tied when it came to changing this year’s concept car, because while they could shift an aerodynamically important detail, they couldn’t change the frame itself due to budget cap constraints. That is why, whatever they do this year, they cannot get rid of some of the flaws and characteristics of the W14.
Team boss Toto Wolff has indicated that drastic changes are due in 2024, and they have been careful not to be penalized for excessive spending like Red Bull, which they were penalized for this last year.
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“We’ve built a huge organization in our economics department, with 46 people watching the cost cap down to the last ring. Spending trends are monitored throughout the year, and we’ve basically allocated resources to specific projects.”
“We stayed below the limit all last year, and we’re below it again this year. And relying on the normal development for next year, we’re still on the right track. The best news is that we’re constantly getting to know our car better, what it’s doing.”
“Two fundamental design changes are coming for next year, but this is not about production, but about simulation, which is not measured in money, but in teraflops and wind tunnel hours.”
Wolf explained.
As for the concept change, this year Mercedes’ hands are tied to things like the car’s wheelbase, driver’s seat positioning, the design and connection method of the rear suspension or the design of the side bumper, which is still out there. side box. All these things can only be changed with a new car, because next year they will have to pass new crash tests with their chassis anyway.
After the Canadian race, Lewis Hamilton talked about what specific features needed to be changed in the new car. While the team could improve the sluggish cornering pace and rear stability it mentioned after the race even during the year, the Brits feel they have to live with certain characteristics of the W14.
“Actually, I don’t feel much difference compared to the beginning of the year. There are certain areas in the car that I feel are different, but we have a little bit of downforce.” He said about the impact of innovations. “The character of our car is very similar to the beginning of the year. For next year’s car we have to change a lot of things, because from the point of view of its character, this is definitely not the car with which we can beat Red Bull, at least for the time being” Hamilton explained.
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