“We can’t even say where the instability comes from”- Mercedes is clueless about where the problem on their rear is generating.
Mercedes has never been an amazing side during the pre-season tests, but this time their concerns are a bit serious, as they are losing in pace against Red Bull.
Mercedes’ major problem is the unstable rear they have made due to the regulations imposed in 2021. Though Toto Wolff is calm about it, a source within the team elaborated on the situation.
“Our car is not as stable in the rear as it has been in recent years. At the moment, we don’t understand why. There is no particular pattern. But we will put all our energy into finding an answer to this question in the 12 days until the season starts,” said the source.
“We can’t even say where the instability comes from. From the aerodynamics, from the new tyres, from the interaction between the two. It is unlikely that the suspensions have anything to do with it.”
Does floor change benefit Red Bull?
In contrast, Red Bull had a successful outing in Bahrain, as Max Verstappen gave his positive feedback on the car and found the rear stable. However, Mercedes doesn’t know whether the floor changes actually benefit Red Bull.
“That would have to be clarified in the wind tunnel through a comparative test. But so far, there is no indication that generally cars with a low rake like ours are affected…”
“Any fundamental aerodynamic flaw would show up in the data,” said the source. As of now, Mercedes shows genuine concern with the car, but it isn’t something unsolvable.
They don’t seem to be in deep water and rather have the might to take on their challenges, even if their biggest rivals Red Bull show promises.
