A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
It seems like a long time ago since Mercedes were candidates for a title. After what's been three long seasons for the German team, their work methodology appears to have shifted to thinking ahead to what the potential outcomes of the changes they make to their car may be. Is this the key to Mercedes turning the tide in the ground effect era?
Ahead of the F1 75 Live event in the O2 Arena in London, George Russell seemed to pinpoint where his team had faltered in the first three years of the current ground effect regulations. "I think the last couple of years we've been so focused on solving the problem, we weren't looking ahead to what future issues it would cause. It's like you solve one thing and then it creates a new problem." said the Briton to select media, including GPBlog.
Mercedes find the key to avoid falling into the same traps?
The question then is, how do you stop running into the same problems? Russell believes Mercedes may have indeed found the answer. "So we've been forward thinking much more than we have done in the past. That's quite normal in the world of aero when you're developing in the wind tunnel, but when you're changing characteristics of the car," which may result in car behaviour issues that make extracting its full potential difficult, which takes a toll, ultimately, in terms of results.
"So I think just really being thorough, these are the fundamental changes we're going to make. We think it's going to do X. Is that going to be a problem at these races and if so, how are we going to drive around it?," concluded the Briton.
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