Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff, has announced that the squad will introduce additional upgrades to the W15 at Imola this weekend, following their initial updates in Miami during the last race.
Despite Mercedes‘ struggles to match the pace of Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren in the current season, Wolff expressed confidence, stating that the team now possesses a “clear understanding” of the areas requiring improvement. However, he acknowledged that it will take time for these efforts to yield significant results.
As Mercedes has yet to secure a podium finish in 2024, there are still 18 races remaining for the team to optimize their performance and narrow the gap to their competitors.
Traditionally, the start of the ‘European season’ at Imola marks the introduction of upgrades to cars. However, this season has seen teams across the grid introducing new parts earlier than usual.
Mercedes initiated minor upgrades to the W15 in Miami, and Wolff has confirmed that further changes will be implemented at Imola. Nevertheless, the full impact of these planned updates is expected to become apparent over the course of multiple races.
“We are now one quarter of the way through the season. The first six races have not been straightforward, but we have built a clear understanding of where we need to improve and shaped a clear path forward to tackle that,” Wolff stated.
“It will be several races before we see this bear fruit, but everyone is working hard to bring them as soon as is possible.
“In the meantime, we will be looking to maximize the package we have. We are bringing some more updates to Imola and hopefully they push us in the right direction.”
Following two consecutive Sprint weekends, the race weekend will revert to its usual structure, affording Mercedes the opportunity to fine-tune the W15 more extensively than in the previous two rounds. This weekend will feature three hours of practice sessions.
However, despite this extended practice time, Wolff cautioned that mastering the iconic track remains a challenging task.
“After two Sprints in a row, we now go back to the more usual weekend format,” he further stated. “It affords us more time to refine the set-up, but Imola is still a demanding circuit that challenges both the car and the driver.
“It has several fast and flowing sections, but some low-speed corners too and a tricky, bumpy surface. It’s narrow, which makes overtaking difficult, and has plenty of elevation. All that combines to provide a stern test and one we’re looking forward to.”
