Formula 1: Mercedes unveils long-awaited W14 upgrades ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
May 25, 2023
Monte Carlo [Monaco], May 25 : Mercedes ahead of Monaco GP this weekend revealed the new upgrades to their car on Thursday as they are preparing the car for the race in their garages, as reported by Skysports. Initially, the upgrades were scheduled for last weekend's Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
However, due to severe floods, the event was cancelled with the next race scheduled in Monaco. Usually, Monaco's slow-speed tracks and high risk of accidents are not suited to test major upgrades.
Despite this Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff chose to bring these upgrades to Monaco instead of waiting for the Barcelona GP.
As per Sky Sports, Team Principal Wolff acknowledges that it will not be a silver bullet but a step in the right direction that provides drivers with a more predictable platform.
Wolff warned his team not to draw any solid conclusion from the car's performance in the Monaco GP. "It is a unique event but will still provide an opportunity to learn about the upgrades to W14 - but we also need to be careful not to draw too many conclusions from this one event. We are introducing the first step in a new development direction."
"It won't be a silver bullet; from my experience, they do not exist in our sport. We hope that it gives the drivers a more stable and predictable platform. Then we can build on that in the weeks and months ahead."
"F1 is tough competition and a meritocracy. We are not where we want to be but there's no sense of entitlement. It's just about hard work to get us to the front." Said Wolff as per Sky Sports.
Mercedes moved away from their 'zero-sidepod' philosophy which was debuted by the team after the introduction of the new design regulation last season. Even after a bad season the team controversially decided to preserve it for the 2023 season.
The new upgrades include a new floor and front suspension as well as the highly visible bodywork on the W14. Red Bull ended Mercedes's eight-year winning streak in the Constructor Championship in 2022.
The team stands in third position after five races in the Constructor Championship. Mercedes is still waiting to score any podiums this year as their rival Red Bull is shining brighter this season with wins in every race so far.
The upgrades will be visible on track on Friday during the practice sessions of the Monaco GP.
