F1 Testing News: Mercedes gamble on RADICAL testing strategy

Hamilton tijdens shakedown van W15 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Testing 2024

Mercedes gamble on RADICAL testing strategy

The team are taking a different route to their competitors

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 21 February 2024 09:12

Mercedes have decided to take 25 sets of the medium tyre to Bahrain for pre-season testing, in stark contrast to the rest of the Formula 1 grid.

F1 heads to the Bahrain International circuit for the annual pre-season testing bonanza this week, giving the teams their first proper look at how their 2024 season might be shaping up.

In three full days of testing, teams will be able to gather bucket loads of data on their new cars, as well as how certain tyres react under certain stresses and conditions.

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Ahead of the event, Pirelli released their guide to which of their tyres will be on show in Bahrain, as well as how many of each compound that teams have decided to take.

While the majority of the grid have favoured more medium tyres, Mercedes have taken it to the extreme, taking just four sets of hards for their drivers and eight sets of softs, with the rest of their tyre allowance being taken up by the yellow-walled mediums.

Testing takes place in Bahrain this week

Mercedes have recently unveiled their 2024 challenger

Mercedes' change in 2024 strategy

This means that a whopping 25 sets of mediums will be available for the Brackley-based squad to use, compared to Red Bull's 20 and Ferrari's 19.

George Russell will take to the track for the whole day on Wednesday, while the outgoing Lewis Hamilton will be their main man on Thursday, before the pair of them split duties for the final day of testing on Friday.

Mercedes will be hoping to show off signs that their W15 has managed to close the gap to dominant world champions Red Bull, having not won a single race in 2023.

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Fernando Alonso Pirelli Bahrain International Circuit