James Allison Unveils Key Mercedes Changes: ‘How Could We Have Been So Dumb?’ – A Deep Dive into the W15 F1 Car Upgrades

"Where did we go wrong?" – James Allison details significant updates to Mercedes' W15 F1 car

James Allison outlines the crucial modifications implemented by Mercedes to enhance the performance of their W15 Formula 1 vehicle.

Mercedes' technical director, James Allison, has detailed the significant modifications the team has implemented to enhance the performance of their 2024 Formula 1 car.

After implementing a significant conceptual overhaul during the winter, Mercedes did not achieve their anticipated results and faced a difficult beginning to the new season.

Recent improvements in the performance of the W15 in both high-speed and low-speed corners can be attributed to a series of upgrade packages, according to Allison, which have contributed to a rise in competitiveness in recent races.

In an interview with the Beyond the Grid podcast, Allison explained that their primary challenge this year has been the car's inconsistent performance. He noted that while the car handled well in either slow or fast corners individually, achieving optimal performance in both types of corners simultaneously proved difficult.

"In the past couple of races, we've adjusted the car to achieve a better balance between high and low speeds and improved its performance through corners."

"It signifies that the driver can rely on both the front and rear axles, whether navigating a high-speed or low-speed turn, from the moment they apply the brakes at the start of the turn, through the middle, and exiting the corner."

Understanding the car's balance is essential for drivers. They need to know if the vehicle will understeer or oversteer and if it will follow the path they intend.

At the Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes unveiled a redesigned front wing, which Allison noted as a crucial element in enhancing the car's aerodynamic balance.

He explained that a major aspect of the task involves determining how to make the car perform well at both high and low speeds, as well as how to navigate corners effectively.

"We've spent the entire year battling with the car's springs, bars, and various mechanical components, focusing on optimizing its aerodynamic properties."

When questioned if this alteration was a 'Eureka moment' for Mercedes, Allison responded: “Eureka moments are those instances where you gleefully grasp something previously unknown to everyone, thereby pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

"That's quite amazing, but this is more of an 'oh no, how could we have missed this' moment, where the way ahead becomes clear and you realize you should have noticed it earlier."

Discussing Mercedes' challenges in understanding the 2022 regulations, Allison commented, "It's easy to get sidetracked by secondary issues instead of addressing the primary problem, thinking that if we just fix a minor detail, everything will be fine."

“We focused on improvements that enhanced the car, but they didn't address the core issue.”

Allison emphasized that this issue is "not related to the budget cap" and expressed skepticism that Mercedes would have resolved the situation any quicker even without financial limitations.

Despite Mercedes having their strongest performance of the season in Canada, where George Russell secured pole position and the team achieved their first podium finish of 2024 by coming in third place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Allison is not optimistic about a similar outcome at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.

He expressed confidence that they could make the car truly competitive this season, without worrying about any track.

"The unique characteristics of the Montreal circuit might lead our fans to believe we've already reached our peak performance. Although I am confident that we will perform well in the upcoming races, I would be taken aback if we secured the pole position in the next race."

"I'm completely confident that we can match anyone's speed in the near future."

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