Car

Mercedes W15: Why the F1 team has struggled with its innovative car

by Rosario Giuliana

6min read

Mercedes W15 vs Mercedes W14 comparison header image

The much-anticipated Mercedes W15 was supposed to bring the eight-time constructors’ champions back to a competitive place after conceding the last two titles to Red Bull. However, we’ve seen Mercedes struggling for pace compared to Red Bull – plus Ferrari and McLaren.

A comparison showing the ‘zero-pod’ design (below) and the updated sidepod (above) from the 2023 Monaco GP, with red arrows showing the biggest changes

James Allison became head of technical direction at Brackley, Mercedes’s factory, after the departure of Mike Elliott at the end of 2023. Despite the changes at Mercedes, something is missing at the team that dominated Formula 1 from 2014 to the end of the decade.

From ‘zero-pods’ to a car suffering from bouncing

 
The era of cars equipped with venturi tunnels began with the much-discussed Mercedes W13, which, in pre-season testing in Bahrain in 2022, startled the world with its shape. 
 
The ‘zero-pods’, as the slim sidepods were dubbed in the paddock, turned out to be an unsuccessful concept. 
 
Tapering the bodywork so much created a car that suffered too much turbulence, failing to protect the rear end from the dirty air trail of the front tyres. This concept was finally abandoned at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, when the sidepods on the W14 were developed to more closely align with Red Bull's approach. 
 
The current Mercedes W15 does not differ much in that area from the latest version of the W14 – which had its sidepods evolve several times in 2023.


continues below

An illustration showing the floor of the Mercedes W14, with two significant channels running from the sidepods to the rear

The Mercedes front wing design that turned heads with a very thin top-most flap

Car

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One problem that has heavily affected Mercedes has been porpoising – when the car bounces due to a sudden increase and decrease of downforce. The bouncing occurs when the car gets very low to the ground, causing airflow to stall, which immediately raises the car back up. Porpoising is a phenomenon intrinsic to this generation of cars that rely more on ground effect than their predecessors, but it is a problem that has been overcome by many teams over the last year.
 
Mercedes, however, struggled with the 2022 W13 that was plagued by chronic porpoising as it was too low to the ground. In 2023, the team went the other way with a car that was too high, and therefore lacked in downforce.

 

Front wing and suspension innovations highlight Mercedes’s ingenuity


Mercedes has pushed hard with aggressive solutions in other areas, including a front wing that almost treaded the FIA's line of legality The FIA’s technical regulations maintain that the upper-most flap of the front wing must have a visible edge. Mercedes went with a minimalist approach in this regard to allow more space for air to pass towards the floor and the sidepod undercut. The front wing was however deemed compliant by the FIA.

An illustration showing how Mercedes’s chassis accommodates a variable front suspension layout

This wing design evokes those of the previous generation of cars, where the top-most flaps of the front wing were curtailed dramatically in this area. This was found to be valuable in counteracting external wheel turbulence and energising airflow in the direction of the floor.
 
Height-adjustable front suspension (LINK TO SUSPENSION ARTICLE) is another interesting technical solution from Mercedes this season as it helps the team adjust the anti-dive effect of its suspension. However, the team only tested this device in pre-season testing and did not run it in the proceeding races.


The chassis has been designed by Brackley’s engineers to allow for variable front suspension arrangements, while the suspension links also play an aerodynamic role in deflecting airflow towards the rear of the car.

By running the suspension link higher up, airflow can be better directed towards the rear of the car; by running the suspension link lower down, Mercedes may be able to enhance its anti-dive effect, reducing how much the nose of the car sinks during braking to keep the platform stable and downforce consistent.

It remains to be seen whether the championship-winning team can compete with Red Bull this season – and whether it is on the right track for the years ahead.

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