Mercedes is hopeful the work it has been doing to enhance its tire administration will permit it to be extra aggressive at a wider vary of tracks, following its victory within the Singapore Grand Prix.
George Russell delivered a powerful weekend in Singapore to take pole place and win the race, incomes his second victory of the season. Mercedes has historically struggled in greater temperatures below the present set of technical laws, however profitable on a avenue circuit the place tires can overheat is an indication of progress that it hopes to hold by way of the remainder of the season.
“We now have been doing numerous work on taking care of the rear tires, notably at these tracks the place they get a really punishing time,” trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin stated. “The air could be very sizzling in Singapore. There’s additionally an terrible lot of traction. Taking a look at final 12 months, 2024, we did battle within the race.
“It’s good to see the advantage of a few of that work that is been occurring right here on the manufacturing unit over the course of the event of this automotive. And hopefully we’re seeing a progressive development the place both when the solar is shining and it is highly regarded otherwise you get these circuits the place there may be numerous traction, we’ll begin to be aggressive.”
Regardless of the sturdy efficiency, Shovlin identified the similarities in monitor traits to Canada – the place Russell additionally received this 12 months – and emphasised that he does not count on Mercedes to be the crew to beat subsequent outing at COTA.
“Simply to attempt to handle expectations right here,” he stated. “In the event you have a look at the circuits that we have been sturdy at, and notably the races that we have received this 12 months – Montreal, Singapore – they’re comparatively low-speed tracks, and there is no doubt that this automotive is working properly at that slow-speed nook area the place we appear to have excellent grip. The drivers have gotten excellent confidence within the large braking zones.
“What we have not had a lot of in these tracks is the high-speed cornering content material, and that is maybe an space the place we have struggled a bit. We’re nonetheless engaged on that, we’re nonetheless attempting to search for each little bit that is there in setup, however that is definitely one thing that is coming. In the event you have a look at a monitor like Austin, it is received a really, very quick sector one, so we’d like to verify we will carry out in that space.
“It was encouraging to see that the automotive can nonetheless win races, we noticed an excellent efficiency from George, the entire crew has actually been fired up from this and that is given us numerous vitality to take into these closing six races. [There are] very completely different circuits arising, we’ll must do rather a lot to adapt the automotive, however we’re positively not going to surrender the battle.”
