Mercedes Commits to New Floor Design for Remainder of Dutch Grand Prix Weekend
Mercedes has confirmed that it will continue to run its new floor design for the rest of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix weekend, after initially introducing it in Belgium. The team’s upgrade program, which has transformed the W15 into a race-winning car, first featured the new floor at Spa-Francorchamps before the summer break.
However, following a challenging Friday at Spa, where the team struggled with poor handling and a lack of straight-line speed, the new floor was removed in favor of the previous, well-understood specification. Nevertheless, Mercedes was convinced by the data from its factory that the new design was an improvement, despite its initial teething issues.
Validating the New Floor Design
To validate its findings, the team split the specification of its cars during first practice at Zandvoort, with George Russell running the new floor and Lewis Hamilton sticking with the old one. After a promising start, with Russell taking the top spot in the standings, the team has seen enough to commit to the new floor design for the remainder of the weekend.
According to Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin, the changeable weather conditions on Friday morning were not ideal for establishing a clear picture of the floor’s performance. Nevertheless, the team is confident that the new design is the right way forward. “Today was an encouraging start to the weekend,” said Shovlin. “The conditions in FP1 were particularly tricky, but what we saw looks in line with expectations, so we’ll continue the weekend with that fitted to both cars.”
Tight Battle Ahead
This development is crucial for Mercedes as it prepares for a tight battle with closest rivals McLaren and Red Bull this weekend, with the gaps between them looking tight. As Russell noted, “It was difficult out there due to the windy conditions. Nevertheless, the car was performing really well, and the updated floor we brought to Spa seemed to be working effectively. The pack at the front seems to be quite close once again. We expect to be facing another fascinating battle across the rest of the weekend for the podium spots.”
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