British GP: How are Mercedes Suddenly Faster on the Straights than Red Bull After Austria F1 Struggles?

Mercedes has been the talk of the town at Silverstone. The team is facing immense pressure from Red Bull and is being pushed to better themselves. This leads to upgrades in the machine. The team has been complaining about problems in the car- which seem to have disappeared at the circuit. Even though Max grabbed the pole position at the sprint, Mercedes paced fastest during the qualifying.

Toto Wolff’s comments during the last two races in Austria suggested major “developments” to the car. This got lost in translation, as drivers were also being coy about the size of the update. In Great Britain, the car has had some visible upgrades to its floor and bargeboard. Nothing too big.

That being said, the W12 showed a better pace during Friday’s qualifying; out of the four times it’s been on the track this weekend.

W12 at Silverstone. pic.twitter.com/v7JqgLOWxP

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 17, 2021

Mercedes has had a drop in performance. Lewis Hamilton, robbed of the first spot during the sprint, was pushing hard but was 2.5s behind Verstappen. He inquired, “I’m giving it everything- any chance of more power?” His question was received with silence on the radio.

Are the updates enough to battle the Charging Bulls?

What are the Mercedes upgrades?

The 2021 aerodynamic regulations displeased Mercedes from the start. These made the outside of the car floor narrower and with no slots, narrower rear brake ducts, and shortening rear diffuser strakes. Over the last races, Mercedes has had a lack of straight-line speed; this became their biggest obstacle.

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The Silverstone upgrades comprise changes around the bargeboards and the underfloor in hopes to enhance aerodynamic performance in the car’s rear. This improved their overall performance on the track. Making the front corner of the floor work better means that extra leakage under the sides of the floor of the rears is not a problem anymore.

New upgrades on the w12 #mercedes #SilverstoneGP pic.twitter.com/38GXl4hcBZ

— Philip (@F1Busan) July 16, 2021

A result of these improvements was that Mercedes unfolded another area- where the enhanced performance really came from. This was the chance to run a less aggressive rear wing.

Is it helping?

Now, the Silver Arrows show better pace on the straights than Red Bull. This results from the changes made affecting the drag and downforce of the machine. Mercedes has reduced drag while maintaining the car’s downforce by making proportional adjustments to the rear wing and the underbody of the car. This has allowed them to go around 3km/hr faster on the straights.

Formula One F1 – British Grand Prix – Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain – July 17, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during sprint qualifying REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge

Red Bull’s rear wing, one abhorred by Mercedes, is still more efficient. So the British company still has a few steps to take before reaching the same level of optimization to run successfully.

Mercedes’ rush for the changes shows how much effort they are putting in to recoup their advantage in the championship. Will it work? The changes made were pretty fundamental, and probably just a quick fix. After the upcoming race, we can see if the changes made have worked, or if Max Verstappen is simply too fast for the Silver Arrows.

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