Mercedes chief describes 2024 F1 challenger with INTRIGUING word choice

Hamilton during Bahrain Test Day 2 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Mercedes chief describes 2024 challenger with INTRIGUING word choice

Mercedes' technical director James Allison has pinpointed how a change in the rear end of the car will help boost straight-line speed

GPFans Staff

Friday 23 February 2024 15:52

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Mercedes technical director James Allison believes the team’s new ‘reassuring’ rear-end components should, in theory, give their drivers better straight-line speed.

After two seasons where the eight-time constructors champions have struggled to keep up with rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, Mercedes have returned to the fundamentals to try and end their title drought.

Among the changes made to the new W15 include returning to a more traditional sidepod concept after spending two years struggling with the ill-fated ‘zero’ sidepod concept.

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The cockpit has been moved 10cm to give drivers a better feeling with the car, and a new gearbox cover was created after the team switched from a pull-rod to a push-road rear suspension.

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New rear-end to reassure Messrs Hamilton and Russell

One of the most significant issues Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton endured in 2022 and 2023 was the unpredictable rear-end characteristics of the car.

The lack of results coincided with Allison leaving his role as Mercedes' chief technical officer in 2021, with then Mercedes technology director Mike Elliott filling the role. Allison also served as chief technical officer for Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie's America's Cup project, INEOS Britannia.

But after a poor start to 2023, Allison returned to his previous role as technical director at Mercedes, replacing Elliott, who would later leave the team in November of 2023.

“A big focus has been on improving the previous car’s unpredictable rear axle, which the drivers often referred to as spiteful,” Allison explained at the launch of the Mercedes' W15. “We have worked on that to try and create a car that is reassuring to the drivers.

“At the beginning of a corner, when you're hard on the brakes and turning in, the rear needs to feel rock solid. And then as you get towards the apex, the car needs to feel progressively more nimble, and eager, to turn. We have been trying to build that into the car.

“A new chassis and a gearbox were standard for every year, pre-cost cap, and there'll be several other teams who have done both things in a single year.”

Red Bull Ferrari Mercedes James Allison