2024 Mercedes-Benz W15 E Performance

In the immediate aftermath of a disappointing 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, the team looked hard in the mirror at every aspect of our operations. A new direction was set, beginning a period of renewal. Despite the limitations of the W14's pre-existing architecture, there was tangible progress. A hard-fought, year-long battle netted second in the Constructors' Championship. The mission continues into 2024.

'We know we have a mountain to climb to fight at the very front. There are no miracles in this sport,' Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, commented. 'But our ambition and determination are strong. Since charting this new course, development has progressed well. We had several items on our priority list for this car. We will soon see if we've made the step we've aimed for.'

'The design of any car is an iterative process. And a long one at that,' Technical Director James Allison explained. 'It stretches back to last year. A new car enables the team to make bigger alterations that are not possible during the season. These are decisions that are taken during the preceding summer.'

These changes include a new chassis, and new gearbox casing. Aerodynamically, as ever, the focus has been on efficiency. The endless quest for finding more downforce with less drag and delivering it to the track in a manner that complements the function of the suspension and tyres.

'A big focus has been on improving the previous car's unpredictable rear axle,' James continued. 'We have worked hard to ensure that both axles, but particularly the rear axle, retain better control of the tyre than on the W14. There's also been some housekeeping on areas in which we had room for improvement, including the DRS effect, and pit stop performance.'

However, it is the underside of the car where the main differentiating factors lie. James added: 'With this current generation of cars, so much of the performance comes from how the floor interacts with the road. Whether or not a car is effective is down to how well that floor is permitted to behave aerodynamically.

'We feel like we have had a good winter, but F1 is a relative game and only time will tell how big a step we've made. We're focused on getting the most from the car we launch, but we are excited by the development race that will follow as the regulations are still young and opportunities abound,' James concluded.

Toto added: 'As the saying goes: when it stings, it sticks. I believe the previous two years were necessary for us to readjust, recalibrate and reinvent ourselves in certain areas. That root-and-branch approach is never easy. But we've made progress and look forward to taking the next step with the W15. It won't be a linear path, but when we stumble, we will get back up and keep climbing.'

Another visible difference with the W15? The livery. In a year when the iconic Silver Arrows mark their 90th anniversary, the famous silver returns to complement the iconic black of recent seasons.

'Performance was always at the forefront of our minds with the black livery last year,' Toto explained. 'Weight is a crucial factor in this current generation of cars. We knew that, once we were in position to do so, we would bring back the Mercedes silver to accompany the black that has become a pillar of our team identity. The livery truly reflects who we are as a team with the distinctive colours of INEOS and PETRONAS providing important highlights.'



The new livery reflects the team's commercial strength, as does recent news. Blue-chip brands such as SAP, WhatsApp, and Luminar have all joined the team's partner ecosystem in recent months.

'Our commercial strategy has evolved over recent years,' Toto explained. 'We have always been focused on building long-term relationships with partners that share our values and delivering clear return on investment. We have now made the conscious decision to refine our partner ecosystem. We want to concentrate on a smaller, select group of partners, to better serve and deliver on their return on investment. We pride ourselves on trying to be the very best in every single area, and we believe this approach is the way we can achieve this with our partners.'

Behind-the-wheel of the W15 will be race drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Source - Mercedes-Benz