Mercedes tests new aero package in Barcelona

Action or reaction? A week after Lewis Hamilton et Valtteri Bottas reported a still unsatisfactory balance at the wheel of their new mount, the team Mercedes returned to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a modified W10, certainly with small touches but in many places. 

Changes have been made to the side panels of the front wing (‘endplates’ in English, Editor’s note), nose, bargeboards, floor, and T-wing at the rear. 

Had the German manufacturer planned to introduce these developments before the start of pre-season testing? Or has he already worked hard to correct the situation after the first runs which did not show the usual sovereignty? Difficult to decide at the moment.

While its great rival Ferrari opted for visually radical solutions, Mercedes remained faithful to its design philosophy, the concept of the W10 being in line with its prestigious predecessors.

In view of the high-level performances displayed by the SF90 of Sebastian Vettel et Charles Leclerc, some began to wonder if the German team had not missed the boat with the new 2019 aerodynamic regulations. Doubts that Toto wolff had been swept aside last week. 

« We can clearly see that the design of the front wing is very interesting on several cars, notably the Ferrari and the Alfa, declared the boss of the Silver Arrows. It's a different concept. 

The 2019 single-seaters feature many innovations that we naturally need to keep an eye on. However, you must not let yourself be distracted by what others are doing. You have to stay true to your design philosophy and continue to develop your own package ». 

This is what Mercedes is visibly working on doing this week, knowing that a radical change in design would take months to come to fruition.