The updated Mercedes W14 hits the track for the first time this weekend at the Monaco GP, with plenty of eyeballs on it and its performance.
The Silver Arrows made it clear early this season that they were going to change tact with their approach to their car and that alternative design route and ethos starts to come to fruition here in Monte-Carlo, with a totally overhauled sidepod concept being unveiled.
It remains to be seen what positive gains the changes can make this weekend, then, but it must be said that Monaco is far from the ideal place to start drawing conclusions about performance and so, whilst they’re going to garner and learn what they can, they will be taking the data that they gather – positive or negative – with a pinch of salt.
Indeed, it might not be until Barcelona next weekend where we really start to see where the new-look Merc is sitting in the pecking order, but in the meantime it is still a positive for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell that the upgrades are now here on the car.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, then, seven-time champion Hamilton discussed the changes – though cautioned that they probably won’t suddenly be on par with Red Bull:
“It’ll be difficult to see how they work here but I’m hopeful we’ll be closer – I don’t think we’ll be fighting for a win, but hopefully we’ll be closer.
“I feel like the team now have the north star, they know exactly where we need to go and how to get there. The amount of work that has gone in is incredible and I’m very, very grateful.
“I’ve been so excited to get in the car and feel these changes. I feel that hopefully puts us on the right path to progress forward and try and catch the guys ahead.”
Ultimately, the proof will be in the stopwatch pudding this weekend and in the coming weekends.
We’re into the European season now and this is usually the time where the teams bring in a host of upgrades, all looking for those important tenths of a second.
That said, Mercedes’ progress will be tempered a bit by what the other teams do but they have made an aggressive change in what they’re looking to do with the W14 and that could potentially mean that they make a bigger step than most in the races ahead.
