Thread by @JunaidSamodien_

AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT - From Imola, the race to catch up begins for Mercedes. Then the W14 should be converted step by step into a winning car. By building on your mistakes. First, the front axle and the floor are in sight.

Hamilton and Russell still have to survive the Miami GP. After that, the company begins to catch up. At the moment Mercedes is 5 to 8 tenths behind Red Bull, still in the chasing field with Aston Martin and Ferrari. Depending on the track, the Mercs were second, third or fourth.

In Baku, Mercedes had to line up behind Ferrari and Aston Martin. Team boss Toto Wolff stated: "The differences between and three were minimal. We didn't hit the setup optimally in the one hour of practice. But maybe that also applied to our competitors."

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It was also due to the circuit that Mercedes couldn't maintain their good form from Melbourne. The new asphalt smoothed out the worst bumps on the Baku City Circuit. This allowed everyone to drive deeper than expected. That brought downforce.

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Mercedes benefits less than others because the aerodynamics of the W14 are designed for more ground clearance in the rear. A higher vehicle height was mandatory on the bumpy course in Melbourne. Mercedes was better in its window and the opponents were more off the mark.

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From the race after next in Imola this will be over. Then the Mercedes W14 should become an all-purpose weapon and change its face step by step. The aerodynamics are trimmed back to a lower vehicle height because that simply brings more contact pressure if you can avoid bouncing.

This then has a double effect. If the drivers can trust the rear of the car, they will accelerate.

James Allison rejects everyone who expects a completely new Mercedes at Imola. "No one in the field would consider starting all over again."

"Development is iteration. You don't just throw away the good qualities that your baby has. All these cars, from the front to the back of the field, are incredibly good race cars."

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"It's all about how competitive they are, so we will continue to use the platform we have and look for ways to make it faster."

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The cost cap also speaks against a reset from a blank sheet of paper, explains team boss Wolff. "If we could, we would change the chassis. But we have to weigh each step in the context of whether the benefit justifies the financial outlay."

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Wolff: "To do this, we have cost analysts today who look at the costs of materials, development and development for each new part Production calculate what is worthwhile and what is not."

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The renovation of the Mercedes W14 is also a troubleshooting. "We take on every area in which we suspect a problem and will change it accordingly," Wolff said.

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The program starts in Imola with a modified front axle and a new floor. The much-cited sidepods will only follow in a later upgrade.

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In Brackley, everyone is convinced that the Red Bull is not only a step ahead of the competition in terms of aerodynamics. If you drive that low, you not only have to have the bouncing under control. It still has to have a chassis that offers the driver some comfort.

Wolff: "If we drove as low as Red Bull, we would have to adjust the car too hard."

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Front suspension as a cause?

The fault is suspected in the front wheel suspension because that is the structural difference to the Aston Martin. The green cars are practically identical to the Mercedes in the rear. Engine, gearbox and rear axle come from Brackley.

Nevertheless, Aston Martin drives lower and irons away the bumps better.

Lewis Hamilton warns to expect miracles at Imola: "It will be a restart, but not necessarily from the first lap what we expect later in the season."

FULL STORY HERE auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/merce…