Monaco 2017: a painful lesson for Mercedes

The first victory of a Ferrari since 2001 in the Principality last year put an end to four years of domination without sharing of Mercedes in the streets of Monaco. A setback which confirmed the almost perfect start to the season for Sebastian Vettel, and which had left a bitter taste for the star stable.

“Last year it came down to damage control because we didn’t find the right settings, recognize Toto wolff, boss of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. It was a painful lesson for us and we are determined to show that we have learned it this year. »

However, the Austrian manager does not place his W09s as the single-seaters to beat this Thursday in Monaco, given the qualities of his direct rivals.
 
We are not starting as favorites. These are Red Bull and Ferrari. Red Bull are strong in slow corners and where straight line speed is less important, while Ferrari dominated last year. »

Wheelbase question?

Forced at the time to modify its suspension design, and also exploiting a car with its large wheelbase, Mercedes was unable to reach the podium, Hamilton only finishing 7th, Bottas 4e.

The wheelbase parameter, which in theory offers a disadvantage on winding and slow tracks, however, does not seem to disturb Mercedes, which remains calm about its choice. Especially since the world champions were imitated in 2018 by Ferrari which extended this feature on its SF71H to approach the W09.

“The long wheelbase gives us more surface area from which to extract downforce and this offers the best gain over the entire season, says Mercedes. Especially since it involves support acquired without too much drag.

On a slower, twistier circuit like Monaco, the team gets the least benefit from a long wheelbase. You still get all the associated downforce but a longer wheelbase car needs more steering angle on the front wheels to turn the car.

For this reason, the team is bringing a special front suspension to Monaco so that the choice of line in the Grand Hôtel hairpin is not limited. »