From Zero to Hero: Mercedes’ Remarkable F1 Turnaround in 2024 After Dismal Start

The Remarkable Recovery of Mercedes Following Their Poorest Season Opening in Over Ten Years

A deep dive into how Mercedes made an impressive comeback in 2024 after not securing a single podium finish in the first eight races.

Andrew Shovlin disclosed the methods Mercedes employed to overhaul their W15 Formula 1 vehicle following their most disappointing season opening in more than ten years.

Mercedes had a difficult beginning to the year, not managing to secure a spot in the top three in the first eight races.

This marked Mercedes' poorest season opening since 2011, a year in which they failed to secure a single podium finish throughout the entire season.

Nonetheless, enhancements made in Miami followed by Monaco turned the W15 into a significant competitor at the forefront of the race.

In a conversation with a group of chosen journalists, including those from Crash.net, during the Belgian Grand Prix, Shovlin offered insights into Mercedes' turnaround.

"We didn't introduce any new upgrades at the beginning of the season, so we began to advance our improvements, starting with a new floor in Miami," he clarified.

Subsequently, we advanced the introduction of a new front wing, initially planned for later in the season, fitting it onto George's car for the Monaco race. By that juncture, it became evident that we possessed a vehicle that was not only competitive but also had potential for further enhancements around the Monaco timeframe.

"Since that point, we've witnessed a remarkable rollout of enhancements across all tracks. Once you begin to address the car's handling issues, the process becomes less complicated, providing a clearer vision of the next steps."

"At the beginning of the year, our vehicle exhibited erratic performance, responding dramatically to even minor variations in the race track's condition. In Jeddah, we experienced significant bouncing during the high-speed turns. Disentangling all these problems proved to be quite challenging."

Mercedes has seen a significant improvement, securing victories in three out of the last four events, yet Red Bull and McLaren seem to hold the upper hand on the majority of circuits.

The W15 seems to excel in colder environments or on tracks with minimal air resistance.

"Observing circuits such as Budapest, it's evident that we're excessively heating the rear tires," he continued. "Moreover, there's a fundamental aspect where we must seek additional foundational performance.

"However, it appears that as the car has become faster, the issues you're facing have also become more noticeable."

Over the past two years, Mercedes has faced challenges in keeping pace with the leading squads.

Despite securing third and second place in the constructors' championship, Mercedes was unable to pose the same level of challenge to Red Bull as Ferrari did in 2022 or McLaren has over the past year.

Shovlin is now convinced that Mercedes has found the correct direction following a lackluster beginning to the season.

"He pointed out that the initial situation left much to be desired. He believes they have effectively grasped the problems and are successfully addressing them. They now evidently have a viable path toward enhancing performance."

"The irritation stems from the fact that for the third consecutive year, we introduced a car that failed to meet our expectations. However, we've gained considerable insight throughout this experience.

"Considering the positive outcomes we've seen in recent advancements, which have met our performance expectations, and the anticipation that next year's car model will closely resemble this year's, our confidence in maintaining this forward momentum into the upcoming year has significantly increased compared to past years."

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