Mercedes "absolutely desperate" to test "very, very different car"
Mercedes "absolutely desperate" to test "very, very different car"
Mercedes power unit boss Hywel Thomas has conceded the team is now "absolutely desperate" to put the new W13 through its paces ahead of the latest F1 campaign.
The reigning F1 constructors' champions unveil their latest challenger on February 18, just five days before pre-season testing begins in Barcelona.
The switch to the all-new aerodynamic regulations has naturally been spotlighted, yet Mercedes has faced additional challenges on the PU side with the introduction of a new fuel for a system that will be frozen going into the new campaign.
It means the car that takes to the Circuit de Catalunya will have undergone one of the most dramatic transformations from one season to another in F1 history.
That has resulted in a degree of anxiety to see if the new car on track matches the performance seen behind the scenes, particularly as the W13 will react differently to recent machinery.
"The 2022 car is very, very different," remarked Thomas in a team video which can be viewed below.
"We know the aerodynamics are different, and from all the things we've been told from all the work we've done here with the team at Brackley, we believe the car will be doing slightly different things and the requests from the drivers will be different as they go through the corners than they were in previous years.
"We've got simulations, we've done all our calculations, we've modified the engine and the way the engine drives in order for us to be ready.
"And we'll be able to react to when the driver puts the power on, perhaps in a slightly different way, perhaps at a slightly different time.
"Of course, we're absolutely desperate to get to the first track test so we can see if those simulations are correct.
"Hopefully, they will be, if not we'll be ready to adjust the PU as necessary to make sure the driver gets exactly what they want when they ask for it."
In addition to the PU being frozen before the season for an expected period of four years ahead of the arrival of a new engine in 2026, the electrical systems will also be frozen midway through the coming year.
That has naturally presented considerable difficulties for Thomas and his team, with the only changes allowed in future being for reliability reasons.
"With the new fuel and the freeze to performance over the course of the season, and the whole new car, the whole new aerodynamics and fitting the PU within it, there is a huge challenge for everyone involved, especially the team up in HPP," added Thomas,
"Of course, that team is super excited to have those challenges and we are really looking forward to the start of the season."
You can watch the Mercedes video here...
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 manager reveals Piastri 'balance' challenge
- 32 minutes ago
EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton engineer reveals top drivers' key characteristic
- 1 hour ago
Red Bull now pressured into MISTAKES insists F1 rivals as title race heats up
- 2 hours ago
F1 News Today: Vettel CONFIRMS stunning comeback as Red Bull boss issues Verstappen statement
- 2 hours ago
F1 fan celebrates Verstappen failure with OUTRAGEOUS permanent change
- 3 hours ago
Wolff opens up on WHY Mercedes are 'very bad'
- Today 09:55
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
- GP JAPAN 5 - 7 Apr
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
Related news
Wolff opens up on WHY Mercedes are 'very bad'
F1 pundit SLAMS Mercedes as Hamilton woes continue
Hamilton labelled 'best that's ever walked the earth' after INCREDIBLE display
F1 team SAVED Russell from major injuries after horror crash
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860