Monaco Grand Prix now the focus as Mercedes take a different direction
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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during practice at the Miami Grand Prix.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Mercedes had hoped to introduce their upgraded Formula One car cancellation of that race
The package has been keenly awaited as evidence that the former champions are back on the track of future success, but Monaco’s special characteristics could also make that hard to assess until Spain the weekend after.
A team spokesman confirmed on Thursday that the upgrades would be on the car around the tight and twisty streets of the Mediterranean principality.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton, who has not won a race since the end of 2021, had been particularly looking forward to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola but Monaco is another old favourite.
“Definitely been counting down the days for it,” the Briton said after the Miami Grand Prix when asked about the improvements.
“I’m really hopeful that helps us take a step forward. We don’t currently know how good the upgrade will be, but we know it will be the start of something new for us.
“The mentality of the team is great, there is such a winning mindset... focused on getting to where we know we can get to.
“Everyone is staying positive and that is all we can ask for until we get those upgrades which will hopefully put us much more in the fight.”
Once-dominant Mercedes decided they needed to go back to the drawing board with their 2023 car after they were only the fourth-fastest team in the Bahrain season opener. After five grands prix they are third overall, 128 points behind Red Bull.
Team boss Toto Wolff said in Bahrain that the car – whose slimmed-down sidepods are a marked contrast to the Red Bull that has won every race so far between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez – was not going to be competitive without a change of concept.
Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin recognised after Miami that continuing with the old package would not have allowed the team to fight for a world championship.
He said the aerodynamic changes marked “the first steps” in the right direction.
“We do hope that it is quicker, that it’s better in terms of qualifying and race pace. The key thing though is that we are not just looking to bring a lap-time update, we are looking to head off in a different development direction,” he added.
“One that we think gives us a better chance in the long term of being able to challenge for race wins and world championships.” REUTERS
