Until it can cure the bouncing phenomenon, it does not want to pursue more traditional updates as it cannot be sure that it will take the W13 in the right direction.
That is why its focus so far has been on more minor tweaks aimed at making slight changes to the airflow, and some in-weekend experiments between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to try to find the right downforce/drag levels.
With the team still using its launch-spec high-downforce rear wing, the variability in its choices for the drivers relate to how much of the wing is cut away, plus the option of a Gurney flap.
At Imola, the two Mercedes were given different wing settings to try to help the team work out what the best solution was.
Hamilton used the rear wing which features a cut-out in the trailing edge of the upper flap, along with a Gurney trim during FP1, while Russell started out with the higher downforce version.
In the end, it was decided that the higher downforce solution was the best way to go, so Hamilton’s car was switched across to that one from the start of qualifying – when parc ferme conditions began.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said the differences between the wings were ultimately very small.
“[It was] a slight difference but not so much as it will change the way the cars are behaving,” he said.
“We’ve just got Lewis on a slightly lower level than George. But you’re just talking a couple of kph on the straights.”
As well as trying to work out the ideal wing settings, Mercedes also introduced some aerodynamic updates at Imola aimed at helping improve airflow and boost cooling.
Mercedes W13 sidepod canards and SIS comparison
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The changes included a revised sidepod impact spar (SIS) fairing, with the shape altered not only to work in conjunction with the new mirror housing but as a means to exploit more performance from the introduction of a new fin on the chassis ahead of the sidepod inlet.
The introduction of this third…
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