Mercedes worried about tire performance at Spa

Mercedes F1 had a busy day with the first tests for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The star manufacturer did not seek the top of the timesheet, preferring to concentrate on the performance of the tires for the race and the prototype rubbers.

“The conditions were unusual at Spa today. Track temperatures exceeded 40°C this afternoon, which is almost unheard of here, explained Paddy Lowe, technical director of Mercedes F1. We have completed our program by installing two new engines for Lewis which will force him to start from the back of the grid. »

“The times are difficult to interpret, added Paddy Lowe, because it depends on the tires with which the teams have evolved. Given the data, we seem close in performance compared to Red Bull, Ferrari and Force India, whether on a lap or a stint. Lewis mainly focused on the race since he will start from the back of the peloton. Nico worked on both qualifying and the race. »

Paddy Lowe is especially concerned about the significant degradation of Pirelli tires. “It's a big problem with all three types of tires (medium, soft and super soft), especially on the rear axle. We have a lot of work to do to put Nico on pole so that he can have every chance of victory and also to ensure that Lewis gets out of the back of the grid. »

Nico Rosberg was also able to test the Halo during the first test session, a first for Mercedes.

“The team did a really good job with it, it didn't bother me while riding, assured the German. I was able to be fast from the start and I was even able to set the best time of the morning. I think it's a success. There car seems faster. »

Free practice results for the Belgian Grand Prix

Photos from the Belgian Grand Prix