2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[OverheatedTurbo]

I doesn't matter what they change. There's no big-step expected anyways. Even if they bring, the confidence of it working as expected is very low. They simply have no understanding of their cars in this era of regulations.

Maybe not in terms of raw performance, but a clear step in tyre management can help.

[DGP123]

They simply have no understanding of their cars in this era of regulations.

Straight to the point. Likely they won’t win a race this season. Allison has already abandoned 25’, and Resta is now responsible. All eyes on, 26’.

[SB15]

Toto saying Merc dont have the performance they had in Miami with the new suspension but seems like theyre going to try it again in barcelona

https://autoracer.it/it/f1-russell-anto ... intervista

I doubt it

[Tonino]

Glad to see James already moving on to the 2026 project. 2025 is a waste of time.

[OverheatedTurbo]

They simply have no understanding of their cars in this era of regulations.

Straight to the point. Likely they won’t win a race this season. Allison has already abandoned 25’, and Resta is now responsible. All eyes on, 26’.

Let’s wait until Spain. These regs are trash either way and I’m happy that we are never going to see these Venturi floors ever again.

[Waz]

They simply have no understanding of their cars in this era of regulations.

Straight to the point. Likely they won’t win a race this season. Allison has already abandoned 25’, and Resta is now responsible. All eyes on, 26’.

Let’s wait until Spain. These regs are trash either way and I’m happy that we are never going to see these Venturi floors ever again.

Floors aren't the problem. Poorly thought out regulations around the suspension are.

All of the issues with these cars could have been solved with either active suspension, or similar rules to the previous set.

If the same basic setup is required next year, the same issues can still crop up.

[OverheatedTurbo]

Straight to the point. Likely they won’t win a race this season. Allison has already abandoned 25’, and Resta is now responsible. All eyes on, 26’.

Let’s wait until Spain. These regs are trash either way and I’m happy that we are never going to see these Venturi floors ever again.

Floors aren't the problem. Poorly thought out regulations around the suspension are.

All of the issues with these cars could have been solved with either active suspension, or similar rules to the previous set.

If the same basic setup is required next year, the same issues can still crop up.

Tombazis should be sent to the Gulag. Imagine these cars with active suspension…they’d be very fast.

[Matt2725]

It always seemed archaic to me the way they forced a simplification of the suspension going into 2022.

It also appears like it was a big mistake to do so.

[SB15]

It always seemed archaic to me the way they forced a simplification of the suspension going into 2022.

It also appears like it was a big mistake to do so.

Stiff suspension + the addition of bigger wheels with skinner tread + wheel covers was indeed a disaster for these regulations. It didn’t improve racing, it got worse, much worse.

I don’t blame Pirelli because they’re trying to work around a fatal flaw that these regulations presented with a sidepod concept that most of the grid runs which exploits these issues.

If the FIA opens up the wheel covers like F2, Pirelli and Most of the grid will be extremely happy with that.

[SB15]

Mercedes, even if they did split the strategy, they couldn't do anything as one of the drivers would've been in a very compromised position like Tsunoda as Bradley Lord mentions

I don't know why everyone saying that the team's strategy was horrific when in reality, VCARB's strategy screwed everyone behind them regardless. Staying out for long was the only ideal option

[Lasssept]

- And you've mentioned the upgrades that we will be bringing to the Spanish Grand Prix. What are our expectations going into that race with those upgrades ?

Bradley Lord: They’re only small upgrades. That's the nature of upgrades when you're in the fourth year of a regulation cycle.

You don't find big chunks of tenths of performance. So it's small bits, but small marginal gains that we're able to make in lots of different parts of the car.

In terms of expectation, I think it has to be, first of all, just to get ourselves back on a more solid footing after tough weekends in Imola and Monaco, and then really to be up there fighting in the top six in qualifying and most importantly, able to maintain or improve those positions when it comes to the race.

You know, we've seen a trend this year. We've seen it in Miami. We've seen it in Jeddah. We saw it also in Imola, where we qualify strongly, but then have fallen back relative to the cars we are qualifying around or those just behind us. And that's really the biggest focus of effort, is making sure we have the correct balance of single-lap qualifying pace, but also strong race pace, because ultimately, as we all know, the points are scored on Sunday and not on Saturday.

[OverheatedTurbo]

- And you've mentioned the upgrades that we will be bringing to the Spanish Grand Prix. What are our expectations going into that race with those upgrades ?

Bradley Lord: They’re only small upgrades. That's the nature of upgrades when you're in the fourth year of a regulation cycle.

You don't find big chunks of tenths of performance. So it's small bits, but small marginal gains that we're able to make in lots of different parts of the car.

In terms of expectation, I think it has to be, first of all, just to get ourselves back on a more solid footing after tough weekends in Imola and Monaco, and then really to be up there fighting in the top six in qualifying and most importantly, able to maintain or improve those positions when it comes to the race.

You know, we've seen a trend this year. We've seen it in Miami. We've seen it in Jeddah. We saw it also in Imola, where we qualify strongly, but then have fallen back relative to the cars we are qualifying around or those just behind us. And that's really the biggest focus of effort, is making sure we have the correct balance of single-lap qualifying pace, but also strong race pace, because ultimately, as we all know, the points are scored on Sunday and not on Saturday.

Either Sandbagging or we’re cooked, there’s no in-between.

[zibby43]

Upgraded rear suspension for Imola has been parked indefinitely.

https://x.com/wearetherace/status/19280 ... w2eCbwUjFA

[Lasssept]

Upgraded rear suspension for Imola has been parked indefinitely.

07 May 2025, 22:12

James Allison on the upgrades coming up

"There's some that will be more obvious to the outside world in the next handful of races. And with a bit of luck, they'll improve our fortunes."

[Matt2725]

Either Sandbagging or we’re cooked, there’s no in-between.

I personally think they've been left scrambling again. Especially with the "new" suspension being shelved, which suggests they saw some awful metrics running it at Imola.

With Williams on the charge this season, Merc will perhaps have to settle for 5th fastest. How embarrassing.