Mercedes W15 Speculation Thread

[KiaeRo]

From 19:10 and onward James Allison gives great insight in terms of what to expect for next year.

[Goblin42]

some comments from toto wolff at the Autosport awards

"I think we were bold and courageous to embark on the road with such a car,” he told PlanetF1.com “That was a different concept that nobody else had had before and it didn’t work. I think it’s as simple as that. It’s physics and not mystics."

“Next year’s car is going to be more conventional in what you would expect from a Formula 1 car, but there are a few interesting details that we have not seen on other cars yet.”


https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolf ... gn-insight

[AR3-GP]

I wonder if Merc will show up and see some of their new ideas on other cars already.

[franbatista123]

I wonder if Merc will show up and see some of their new ideas on other cars already.

It's possible, Ferrari for example has hinted at also bringing new innovations, as you would expect from any team trying to challenge for P1.

[Gabriox]

Speculation thread for the new W15

First car made by James Allison for this new era and new concept compared to the last two
Technical director Allison said Mercedes are confident they now understand the issues that have held back their troubled W13 and W14 challengers.

“You can’t promise anything because everyone is working hard, all the teams are pretty decent, but I think we’re on a very good path,” Allison told Sky at the Qatar Grand Prix.

“I think much of what ails us now is reasonably understood and we’re working to fix that.”
Asked if next year’s car looks like a Red Bull, Allison replied: “I don’t know, I’ve got no idea what they are going to do next year.

“We’ll find out when we all arrive next year.”

Speaking after a disappointing Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton insisted that Mercedes need the greatest six months of F1 car development in their history if they are to successfully reel in Red Bull.

Allison agreed with Hamilton’s assessment and warned that Mercedes’ 2024 car will also “set the tone” for the following season, with a large carry-over expected ahead of another regulation overhaul in 2026.

https://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/IMG ... 1696669143

The car isn't made by him according to the performance people interview. Infact he doesn't do anything mechanical nor does decide what should be done to the car. He spearhead all the top engineering department and make sure they are united in their ideas and thinking.

[AR3-GP]

James Allison is coy. In all likelihood he's had input into the W13, the W14, and the W15.

[Big Tea]

The car isn't made by him according to the performance people interview. Infact he doesn't do anything mechanical nor does decide what should be done to the car. He spearhead all the top engineering department and make sure they are united in their ideas and thinking.
[/quote]

A chef in a kitchen does not grow his own produce and often does not prepare much of it, but the food still has his input. It would be the same with Allison, he would (metaphorically) stroll among the benches giving guidance and picking the right combination to give the desired result.

Not all his own work, but defiantly his

[K1Plus]

Exactly. That's what a technical director is for. He's not designing the car himself, but rather saying YES/NO, you could do this or that to his colleagues under him and guiding them.

[Luscion]

[chrisc90]

Sure I read on one of the pages somewhere in the realms of the internet someone is claiming 2.5seconds faster from the team.

Sceptical.

[KiaeRo]

Sure I read on one of the pages somewhere in the realms of the internet someone is claiming 2.5seconds faster from the team.

Sceptical.

That was said by Toto in a joking way on the F1 Nation podcast following the Abu Dhabi GP

[morefirejules08]

Sure I read on one of the pages somewhere in the realms of the internet someone is claiming 2.5seconds faster from the team.

Sceptical.

That’s not what’s been said. Toto was replying to a question from Pedro De La Rosa about the W15 and he said AM’s 2023 early season form proved it was possible to achieve good lap time gains within the current regulations he then ended by jokingly saying “we’re going to make a 2.5 second gain like you have done”

[Farnborough]

Sure I read on one of the pages somewhere in the realms of the internet someone is claiming 2.5seconds faster from the team.

Sceptical.

That’s not what’s been said. Toto was replying to a question from Pedro De La Rosa about the W15 and he said AM’s 2023 early season form proved it was possible to achieve good lap time gains within the current regulations he then ended by jokingly saying “we’re going to make a 2.5 second gain like you have done”

The reference from TW I "thought" was to the difference in pace of the AM chassis at Bahrain in 2022 vs 2023, a night and day shift in performance for them, and all within the new rules set. That's how I understood that value shift of 2.5 secs.

Obviously, AM made a first iteration way off mark from the RB 18 in pure pace, leaving considerable room for improvement, which they then enacted with their concept shift development in 22 going into very competitive 23 chassis.

I believe the context of that comment is to say that a poor initial concept was clearly recoverable by AM and within the rules, budget cap etc, etc.

His obvious inference being that MB need to apply themselves and achieve that level of step change within their own chassis philosophy.

If that's true, it seems a perfectly normal and balanced observation to project.

[Luscion]

Toto confirms the W15 will have different suspension to the W14, talks about other changes as well

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-intervi ... t-red-bull

[morefirejules08]

Sure I read on one of the pages somewhere in the realms of the internet someone is claiming 2.5seconds faster from the team.

Sceptical.

That’s not what’s been said. Toto was replying to a question from Pedro De La Rosa about the W15 and he said AM’s 2023 early season form proved it was possible to achieve good lap time gains within the current regulations he then ended by jokingly saying “we’re going to make a 2.5 second gain like you have done”

The reference from TW I "thought" was to the difference in pace of the AM chassis at Bahrain in 2022 vs 2023, a night and day shift in performance for them, and all within the new rules set. That's how I understood that value shift of 2.5 secs.

Obviously, AM made a first iteration way off mark from the RB 18 in pure pace, leaving considerable room for improvement, which they then enacted with their concept shift development in 22 going into very competitive 23 chassis.

I believe the context of that comment is to say that a poor initial concept was clearly recoverable by AM and within the rules, budget cap etc, etc.

His obvious inference being that MB need to apply themselves and achieve that level of step change within their own chassis philosophy.

If that's true, it seems a perfectly normal and balanced observation to project.

That’s pretty much what I said