First look at Mercedes upgrade ahead of ‘tests’ for F1 2023
Mercedes have brought their last major update - featuring aerodynamic parts and weight-saving items - to Austin as the team switches focus onto learning for F1 2023 following a difficult and so far winless season.
One of the major new components included in Mercedes’ upgrade is a modified front wing design, which was first spotted in the COTA pitlane on Thursday afternoon.
George Russell said Mercedes are planning to use the remaining four races to “test” ahead of next season, when the team hopes to mount a fightback against Red Bull and Ferrari.
“Everybody is working incredibly hard to bring stuff to almost try to test ahead of next season,” Russell explained.
“I think we’re in a position now - obviously the season has passed us and the championship was out of reach a long time ago - but we’re trying to use these last-remaining races as a chance to test some things and make sure that we have all of the information for the team back at the factory to work as hard as they can in the wind tunnel to give us a fighter next year.”
Teammate Lewis Hamilton lowered expectations about Mercedes’ competitiveness in Austin. The seven-time world champion has five previous victories at COTA and is looking to end his winless streak before the end of the year.
“You can expect we are going to try everything as we always do. I don’t want to get my hopes up.” Hamilton said when asked about Mercedes’ chances in the press conference.
“A lot of work has naturally gone into the upgrade as it always does and I'm really, really proud of everyone for the work that’s gone in.
"But in the past we’ve had expectations, ‘oh this is going to bring a tenth’, and then we struggle to extract that. So I’m just with a really open mind. I'm hoping our car in general works better at this circuit.”
Speaking earlier in the week in a Mercedes preview, Toto Wolff had already warned the upgrade would not "drastically change” his team’s fortunes.
“We need to use the limited track time available to make strides forward for this season and generate as much learning as we can in the development race for 2023 – those two aims are one and the same,” he said.
“Our final update package of the year will be brought to Austin. It won’t drastically change our fortunes but we are hopeful it will bring us a step forward and closer to the front-runners.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
